Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Mt Albert Old-School

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  • David Slack,

    a decent and intelligent man but hardly a natural campaigner

    I wonder if David Shearer isn't a little too self-effacing for his own good. Granted, his predecessor made an enduring problem for herself with the "popular and competent" remark, but this guy has lived a life far from ordinary, taken on some very daunting tasks and acquitted himself well. It's worth talking about.

    Devonport • Since Nov 2006 • 599 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso,

    What, nothing about Key endorsing John Banks for Supermayor?

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    What, nothing about Key endorsing John Banks for Supermayor?

    Lord forbid that I should gazump Mr Slack.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso,

    I have since noticed. Apple bogies.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • Duncan McKenzie,

    I agree that we have to give John Boscowan credit for campaigning hard. I did have him banned from campaigning on the buses but he does keep on popping up in other places.

    He was at the "tunnel or nothing" march on Saturday. I suggested to him that he should support the tunnel because there could be an argument for a PPP and tolling to get it built. He didn't see that but was promoting a mad-arse alternative scheme that would take out quite a bit of Unitech.

    At the speechifying at the end of the march, Russel Norman's reception was at least as warm as David Shearer's.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 53 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    "Was it the mayor?" Farrar asks in his headline. Well, if it was, it would be even more improper. But it does bear noting that that Cameron Slater has been spewing abuse at Andrew Wiliams for months.

    And your point is, Russell? Andy Williams isn't exactly shy about trash-talking his political enemies, but I'd be disinclined to make any excuses if the obscene bullshit was flowing in the other direction. Now if you'd excuse me, I've got a date with a wire brush after standing up for the Whaleoily one.

    What, nothing about Key endorsing John Banks for Supermayor?

    Oh God... slow news day, is it?

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

  • Russell Brown,

    And your point is, Russell? Andy Williams isn't exactly shy about trash-talking his political enemies, but I'd be disinclined to make any excuses if the obscene bullshit was flowing in the other direction.

    I think it would be wise to establish who actually sent the fax before condemning Williams, but I did say that would be "even more improper" if that were the case. I don't believe I was making "excuses" for anyone.

    I was just struggling with the idea of Slater being any kind of victim.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Glenn Pearce,

    There is a house on Western Springs Road proudly displaying hoardings for both Act's John Boscawen and the Greens' Russel Norman.

    There are actually quite a few houses in the electorate (including one on Pt Chev Rd) displaying hoardings from all the "major" parties, Labour, National, Greens (always slightly smaller than the others) and Act.

    How does that work ? Undecided voter's house ? Flatmates with different political views ?

    Auckland • Since Feb 2007 • 504 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    How does that work ? Undecided voter's house ? Flatmates with different political views ?

    Just people getting into it, I think. It's quite neat.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Danyl Mclauchlan,

    What, nothing about Key endorsing John Banks for Supermayor?

    National politicians tend to try and distance themselves from Mayors, esp large metropolitan 'super-mayors' who tend to get a little nutty and difficult to control (obviously this would never happen with Banks).

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 927 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    I was just struggling with the idea of Slater being any kind of victim.

    I feel your pain, Russell. You can borrow my wire brush, if you like. :) I'm just struggling to feel an excess of sympathy for Williams (or whoever the thin-skinned little petal at the NSCC turns out to be), given that he's not shy about turning up the rhetorical heat himself -- and he seems to have become the reliably outraged and outrageous rentaquote for any Super City related story.

    If Slater can get someone that upset, I hope Williams has a full supply of blood pressure meds when it comes to pushing through the next round of rates hikes. They never upset anyone. :)

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

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Just people getting into it, I think. It's quite neat.

    And it never hurts to ask nicely. The worse that can happen is being told to bugger off, and if you can't handle that you're really not going to find retail politics a pleasant experience.

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

  • Tom Semmens,

    He was at the "tunnel or nothing" march on Saturday.

    Which is more than one can say for Steven Joyce, who appears to have conveniently lied to the meida when he said he would "return to the Mt. Albert electorate within two weeks" to discuss the motorway issue - yet another of the glib off-the-cuff comments designed to keep the immediate audience happy that this government seems to specialise in.

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

  • Tom Semmens,

    Cameron Slater? Is this the same hip shaking and moving insider privy to the most carefully guarded party secrets Cameron Slater that apparently picked David Shearer & Labour to be in real trouble Mt. Albert as late as last Friday???

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

  • David Slack,

    No, it would be that silver tongued devil who managed to find enough words to pad out several minutes on CloseUp with the proposition: "I don't know, Mark."

    Devonport • Since Nov 2006 • 599 posts Report Reply

  • Brian Murphy,

    BTW how many public resources are required to send a fax these days?

    I quite like the fact that it is not many, and then with careful targetting it gets widely distributed. Great leveraging!

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 48 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    I quite like the fact that it is not many, and then with careful targetting it gets widely distributed. Great leveraging!

    Brian: Let me introduce you to an acquaintance whose fax machine was being routinely spammed in the middle of the night by a number of MPs (one Nat, one Labour and one ACT). Even worse was that the MPs concerned all had a reading disability that reduced "please take me off your mailing list" to word salad.

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

  • Sacha,

    It was probably the word "please" what confused em.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Kyle Matthews,

    Less than a dollar if it's a local call.

    Which wouldn't necessarily make the fax and sending it OK, just seems not worth the effort for 'theft as a servant'. I personally couldn't care if my local government employees occasionally send personal faxes on their work machines as long as its not out of control.

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report Reply

  • Rich of Observationz,

    Slater is just bitter at not being treated to any Stop Banks wine.

    Also: Boscawen advocated only a month ago that the Waterview motorway be built above ground. What's he doing going to "Tunnel or Nothing" meetings?

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

  • Jackie Clark,

    Twice in the weekend, I drove past Boscaswen supporters jiggling signs up and down at traffic lights. On the first occasion, it was a large and rowdy group of people having a whale of a time. Good for them, I thought. On the second, it was a lonely wee poppet standing on the corner of New North and St Lukes Rd. I felt very sorry for him, and, might I add, Boscawen might need to find himself people who look less like, well, ACT supporters. Not a good look.

    Mt Eden, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 3136 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    On the basis of a quick look at Slater's blog today, I hope he knows a good defamation lawyer, because at some point one of his targets is going to bite back.

    Is the fact that no one takes you seriously an actual defence though?

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Is the fact that no one takes you seriously an actual defence though?

    Well, when Roman Polanski sued Vanity Fair over an article alleging he propositioned a woman while literally driving to his wife's funeral, they tried running the defence that he didn't have a reputation to damage. Didn't work, but God loves a trier.

    Boscawen might need to find himself people who look less like, well, ACT supporters. Not a good look.

    I'm almost afraid to ask... what do ACT supporters look like apart from the cloven hooves, baby blood stains and the clouds of sulphur?

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

  • Christopher Nimmo,

    On the basis of a quick look at Slater's blog today, I hope he knows a good defamation lawyer

    You do ? Really? Well, he probably hopes he does.

    I bet the people he defames/inappropriately photoshops don't.

    Wellington • Since May 2009 • 97 posts Report Reply

  • Idiot Savant,

    Meanwhile, in the EU elections, the anti-copyright Swedish Pirate Party has won a seat. Arrrrrr! Take that, copyright mafia!

    (Or will this invoke the s92A thread?)

    Palmerston North • Since Nov 2006 • 1717 posts Report Reply

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