Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Cranks, self-seekers and the mayor

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  • Russell Brown, in reply to Sacha,

    Fecking Herald is still headlining Mayor hires a ‘bevy of heavies’ despite clear evidence it was Auckland Transport who hired security guards.

    Apart from the dimension where it's borderline defamatory referring to professional security guards as "heavies". Fucking hell.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • nzlemming, in reply to ,

    I need to get out more and read the herald.

    You really don't. Well, get out more, maybe...

    Waikanae • Since Nov 2006 • 2937 posts Report

  • Sacha, in reply to Russell Brown,

    Nah, reckon they'd enjoy it :)

    Just not remotely professional journalism. Good luck with that paywall later this year, Herald.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Russell Brown,

    I've now confirmed independently that the security guards were hired by Auckland Transport purely for crowd control on the day. And that the Herald was very clearly told this.

    In the circumstances, I feel quite confident in saying the Herald's framing of the story is utterly disgraceful. They're lying to their readers.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Sacha,

    There are plenty of people in the public eye who have benefitted from gifts from SkyCity in the last few years

    Though they weren’t part of big decisions that benefitted the company.

    This is true. The way the EY report treated room upgrades was weird – and if widely applied would see plenty of MPs in trouble. But accepting gratis rooms from that company in those circumstances was unquestionably bad.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Bart Janssen, in reply to Russell Brown,

    They’re lying to their readers.

    Which has been true to some degree or another for at least the last couple of years.

    The Herald has at various times been a very good informative source of news and information. That doesn't seem to happen very often now.

    It seems being a monopoly in the market has led in an unusual direction.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 4461 posts Report

  • simon g, in reply to Russell Brown,

    3 News duly repeated the 'Brown's bodyguards' spin tonight, as if Brewer had written the script. That's not good journalism, guys, not even close.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1333 posts Report

  • simon g,

    Duncan Garner said he was going to give Cameron Brewer the mike (yet again) this afternoon ...

    https://twitter.com/Garner_Live/status/425083334612369408

    ... whereupon, the earthquake happened. Message received, o Lord.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1333 posts Report

  • Martin Lindberg, in reply to simon g,

    3 News duly repeated the ‘Brown’s bodyguards’ spin tonight, as if Brewer had written the script.

    Well, he did write the script. NZHerald and 3News just didn't question it.

    Stockholm • Since Jul 2009 • 802 posts Report

  • Chris Waugh, in reply to Bart Janssen,

    The Herald has at various times been a very good informative source of news and information. That doesn’t seem to happen very often now.

    I’ll have to trust you on it having been informative. I only read the Herald website because the format works better for me than Stuff or Scoop and it has more information than the TV or radio websites. I gave up on their world news section because it’s about 90% mindless reposting of the AP feed with not even the tiniest adjustment to account for the fact their core audience is people in Auckland* and the rest only marginally better reposts of the Independent, Observer or Daily Mail (with one about a week ago being a grossly overblown Daily Mail “OMG Beijing smog” piece of shit. It was bad on that day, but nothing like January 2013 and nowhere near as apocalyptic as the Daily Mail tried to pretend). I still rely on it for NZ news, but my international news now comes from entirely different sources, as the AP feed really isn’t that good regardless of whether it’s been tweaked to suit the Herald’s core audience or not. And relying on the Herald to keep up with Wellington Phoenix can be frustrating. So I guess I’ll just have to tolerate Stuff’s setup for the tiny little bit of sports news that interests me and Public Address for my NZ news.

    *Two things there: 1: If your article says “the nation” and I have to scroll down to confirm my suspicion that the nation referred to is the USA, then your website has a problem, and for crying out loud, just delete the imperial/American measurements and leave the metric ones. AP includes both to account for their customers coming from different countries. 2: Please Herald, don’t try to kid me. Your “national” section does cover the whole country, but is still very, very Auckland-centric. And no, this is not some south of the Bombay Hills chip on my Wellingtonian shoulder, that is how your “national” section is. If you had separate “Auckland” and “national” sections, wouldn’t be a problem. ETA: Except that if it did split into Auckland and national sections, based on current form, the Herald's new national section would be rather small and uninformative.

    Wellington • Since Jan 2007 • 2401 posts Report

  • Russell Brown, in reply to simon g,

    3 News duly repeated the ‘Brown’s bodyguards’ spin tonight, as if Brewer had written the script. That’s not good journalism, guys, not even close.

    I am told that it did look that way at the scene. Presumably, someone looked at the handful protesters and decided they might be a problem (given that Penny Bright was involved, not necessarily a bad guess) so stuck a bit closer to the mayor

    But I am very, very sure that it was a standard event hire and the mayor's office had nothing to do with it.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Kumara Republic, in reply to Bart Janssen,

    It seems being a monopoly in the market has led in an unusual direction.

    While the ComCom has been missing in action. Free speech is good, but what happens when it becomes cartellised by those with deep pockets?

    The southernmost capital … • Since Nov 2006 • 5446 posts Report

  • Graeme Edgeler, in reply to Russell Brown,

    Presumably, someone looked at the handful protesters and decided they might be a problem (given that Penny Bright was involved, not necessarily a bad guess) so stuck a bit closer to the mayor

    If you have information that leads you to believe Penny Bright represents some sort of threat to the mayor, you should make it public.

    Wellington, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 3215 posts Report

  • Sacha, in reply to Graeme Edgeler,

    Grammar, Graeme*. Good enough for Finlayson. :)

    *you've seen some of her ramblings on Te Standard. right?

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Sacha, in reply to Russell Brown,

    it did look that way

    Did on the telly too, but how hard is it to listen when someone tells you who hired them, really?

    And reporting that pond-dweller Slater was attached to the duck-whistle wouldn't be hard given the distraction of two whole other 'protestors'.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Ian Dalziel, in reply to simon g,

    ...the "Band of Brewers"

    are they known collectively
    as a Droop of Brewers?

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report

  • Sacha, in reply to Ian Dalziel,

    metro-unsexual

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Richard_Elwin, in reply to Martin Lindberg,

    Sigh. What do these people want?

    Following the Facebook links to Stephen Berry's anti-Brown march co-organiser, it appears they want a world free of chemtrails and fluoride.

    Perhaps with the holidays now over, political news will have a bit more substance and a bit less of Kim Dotcom, Colin Craig and Brown's indiscretions.

    Since Jan 2014 • 3 posts Report

  • Jim Cathcart,

    I would have though Len Brown had the perfect opportunity to take the bull by the horns and deflect attention with the release of the Demographia Housing Affordability Survey, which casts a sad state of affairs for those who wish to claim in a stake in the future of Auckland. Of course, these are the real issues that could help the guy hammer home a unified vision of what can/cannot, will/won't be done. And at least you have something that might be relevant to a significant sub-set of Aucklanders.

    Since Nov 2006 • 228 posts Report

  • nzlemming, in reply to Graeme Edgeler,

    If you have information that leads you to believe Penny Bright represents some sort of threat to the mayor, you should make it public

    My personal belief is that Penny Bright represents some sort of threat to the public; maybe I should tell the mayor...

    Waikanae • Since Nov 2006 • 2937 posts Report

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Graeme Edgeler,

    If you have information that leads you to believe Penny Bright represents some sort of threat to the mayor, you should make it public.

    I didn't say that, Graeme. But I could understand the security management being wary of her and her friends on sighting their protest.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Graeme Edgeler,

    I do feel secure in saying that Penny Bright has treated people she has taken against quite despicably at times.

    Most notably, her crew’s protest at the home of a dying Phil Raffills and their behaviour afterwards. The simple human decency thing sometimes eludes her.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Graeme Edgeler, in reply to Russell Brown,

    I could understand the security management being wary of her and her friends on sighting their protest.

    And accordingly stayed near the mayor for what purpose?

    Wellington, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 3215 posts Report

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Graeme Edgeler,

    And accordingly stayed near the mayor for what purpose?

    I don’t know, I wasn’t there, I’m only guessing.

    I have satisfied myself that the security hire was a standard one for such an event, that it was done by Auckland Transport staff without reference to the mayor’s office and that the idea that “heavies” were hired to protect the mayor and that an unusual cost was placed on the ratepayer as a consequence is false.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Ian Dalziel, in reply to Russell Brown,

    The simple human decency thing sometimes eludes her.

    Going by that 2000ad story Metrowater had a hard time with the same concept...

    In January, Metrowater caused controversy when it launched a series of surprise raids on properties of protesters who had boycotted wastewater fees, digging up mains and removing their pipes.

    Sounds more like the West Bank than Auckland!

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report

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