Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Jonesing

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  • Rich of Observationz, in reply to Craig Ranapia,

    Hey, I'm going to do all I can to promote Aaron Gilmore as the next leader of the National party.

    I'm sure you won't doubt my sincerity, he'd be an awesome leader.

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

  • Keir Leslie, in reply to Danyl Mclauchlan,

    Hah! It wasn't you I was thinking of there.

    Since Jul 2008 • 1452 posts Report Reply

  • izogi, in reply to nzlemming,

    Guyon:

    National fears Jones because he could take votes off them by moving Labour to the centre.

    nzlemming:

    How much closer to the centre does Espiner think it can get?

    I guess there are that faction of National voters who claim they won't vote Labour (right now) because they're paranoid about seeing the Green Party in government.... Maybe there's a thought that Shane Jones wouldn't cater to them as much as Grant Robertson or David Cunliffe might.

    I think Labour's biggest problem at the last election, though, was that so many of its traditional voters didn't bother to show up at the polling booths at all. If the government fears anything, surely it should be that a Labour leader might arrive who convinces its traditional supporters of a reason to actually come out and vote on election day.

    Wellington • Since Jan 2007 • 1142 posts Report Reply

  • paynter, in reply to Carol Stewart,

    You don’t believe in redemption?

    Having said that I’m struggling to think of any examples of where political careers have risen above such doofusy behaviour

    Clinton? Berlusconi? Gingrich? Edward Kennedy?

    Arguably, these are worse-than-doofusy.

    Since Nov 2006 • 29 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Keir Leslie,

    committed Green/Mana supporters

    .. who totally rely on Labour getting its shit together. Nothing strange about taking an interest under MMP.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to izogi,

    a Labour leader might arrive who convinces its traditional supporters of a reason to actually come out and vote on election day.

    And they have a year to do it. No pressure.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • peterpeasant,

    Espiner is a TV puppet that sells advertising, as are the other assorted media types.

    The ones with media names like "reporter, journalist, commentator, columnist" are merely advertising space representatives with fancy titles, (and better salaries).

    Never ever trust one with title of "Editor". All PR or "spin" doctors always aspired to be an Editor. They failed.

    Advertising is a war..

    As in al wars, the first casualty is truth, propaganda always rules.

    new zealand • Since Oct 2010 • 39 posts Report Reply

  • Keir Leslie, in reply to Sacha,

    No, I don't buy that. For one thing, the interests of the parties aren't that convergent; for another, selecting a leader isn't just a meritocratic exercise in picking the "best". If you're not Labour, you'll have different goals and aims for your politicians (which is entirely correct), and while the differences between Labour and national are the biggest, there's still important differences between the Greens, Mana, and Labour.

    Since Jul 2008 • 1452 posts Report Reply

  • Ian Dalziel, in reply to peterpeasant,

    on reflection...

    Never ever trust one with title of “Editor”

    there's no stemming
    the ebon flow of
    the editorotide...

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report Reply

  • Ian Dalziel,

    take me to your leader?
    ...a telling moment captured here at The Standard

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report Reply

  • Bart Janssen, in reply to Martin Brown,

    When you’re drunk and tired, you make simple mistakes like that. Sheesh.

    Which is fine if you have my job and mistakes are (usually) just lost time and recoverable.

    But when you have the responsibility of representing many of the people in the country I prefer to see people who have developed habits that really limit the number of such mistakes. I haven't seen such an indication from Jones.

    But sure it's a mistake and folks can learn from mistakes and maybe he has ... now his task is to demonstrate that.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 4461 posts Report Reply

  • Bart Janssen, in reply to Russell Brown,

    And Guyon Espiner has responded to the criticism.

    It's a reasonable expectation then that New Zealanders get a sense of how a leader lives their own life.

    Which is a fair point. Except that for previous leaders there was first a pretty thorough examination of their political positions and policies BEFORE we "needed" to know about how they led their personal lives. In this case 3rd degree appeared to have skipped straight to the, IMO, puff piece.

    Quite some distance from examining the cadidate and giving him the 3rd degree.

    I'd also note the comment upthread that Jones visited the marae for the opening photo op and left when the actual business was being done, a detail not shown on 3rd degree.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 4461 posts Report Reply

  • Bart Janssen, in reply to Cecelia,

    Having genuine character is important because a large chunk of the electorate rely on an ‘intuitive feel’ of politicians, rather than an intricate grasp of the policy detail.

    Priceless

    Perhaps because they relied on the MSM for the information on which to base their decisions.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 4461 posts Report Reply

  • Ethan Tucker,

    Part of the interest generated by the leadership campaign is that the candidates have been able to speak about their policies in a relatively unfettered way and that, unusually, the media actually has to listen and report it. And the Government has little, if any, ability to rebut their arguments. In a way, the leadership contest has reversed the usual order of things in which Opposition points of view are a mere tack-on to stories outlining new Government proposals. Perhaps this points to the increasing weakness of NZ public policy debates in a media environment that's reluctant to screen serious political discussion, both in news bulletins and in dedicated public affairs programming. (Still missing Media3!) Arguing about alternative policy perspectives doesn't sell Toyota ads, so it doesn't get airtime. Policy really matters to voters, but it's in the interest of commercial broadcasters to pretend that personality is king.

    I'd also go out on a limb and ask whether the 'interesting' decision of TV3 to act as Jones boosters just reflects how out-of-touch they are with Labour members and supporters - still around 30-odd percent of voters. Sure, he's a lively character, and there's ratings in that, but it seems Guncan is/are more comfortable in discussing centrist/rightist candidates because that's their comfort zone. Happy to be proved wrong, of course.

    Wellington • Since Apr 2008 • 119 posts Report Reply

  • Richard Aston, in reply to Jenny Kirk,

    Yes – Jones is at home on a marae . I was there, and that aspect was good to observe.
    What was not so good – Jones and his TV entourage did not stay for the actual business of the hui. They did the powhiri, had cuppa tea and chat, and left.
    The business presentation was about future economic development for the north – a subject Jones as regional development spokesperson for Labour, should have been interested in. Not a good look.

    That's really interesting Jenny , thanks. I noticed Hone in the background did he stay for the whole hui ?

    Northland • Since Nov 2006 • 510 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Young,

    Wearing my local diabetes group research officer hat for a moment, I do think that Jones idea of regulating supermarket prices is a damned good one. Mind you, I also supported Labour's proposals to abolish GST on food for much the same reason.

    Craig Y

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 573 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Young,

    At the same time, I'm uneasy about some of Jones' parliamentary caucus supporters.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 573 posts Report Reply

  • Geoff Lealand,

    Went to the contenders meeting in Hamilton last night (in the Centennial Lounge at the Te Rapa Raceourse, which smelt faintly of old fish). It was an enthusiastic and generally optimistic evening, and all three did bloody well. Not fully convinced about Jones but he did get the laugh of the evening, when he proposed that Govt ministries were too Wellington-centred and several could be moved out to the regions ... "and if Treasury don't like it, I will send them to Mangakino".

    Screen & Media Studies, U… • Since Oct 2007 • 2562 posts Report Reply

  • Rich of Observationz, in reply to Geoff Lealand,

    What's Mangakino done to deserve that?

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

  • Geoff Lealand, in reply to Rich of Observationz,

    That is what I thought. Perhaps they could be employed to make the trees grow faster, by threatening them with fiscal trimming.

    Screen & Media Studies, U… • Since Oct 2007 • 2562 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Keir Leslie,

    selecting a leader isn't just a meritocratic exercise in picking the "best"

    That belief might be part of our shared problem. But I don't for a moment believe the sustained underperformance of any party comes down to one person.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Ian Dalziel, in reply to Geoff Lealand,

    Lumbered?

    ...make the trees grow faster, by threatening them with fiscal trimming.

    It'll never work, ya can't con a fir...

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report Reply

  • Geoff Lealand, in reply to Ian Dalziel,

    But a red would , as may some other species if you aspen them nicely, (it’s catching!)

    Screen & Media Studies, U… • Since Oct 2007 • 2562 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson,

    You just need more pop'lar policy.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • Hebe,

    Go Green: fight them on the beeches.

    Christchurch • Since May 2011 • 2899 posts Report Reply

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