Hard News: Some reprehensible bullshit
128 Responses
First ←Older Page 1 2 3 4 5 6 Newer→ Last
-
Steve Curtis, in reply to
They're not only great for blocking out light and noise,
I would have thought blackout blinds are useful for doing TV interviews in the office, when they want to control the lighting.
-
To really take the thread to the record, the dungeon needs to also have a massive stash of pirated movies, especially porno.
Also, it has to have a discreet entrance. What use is a sex dungeon if you have to enter it through the front door of the Mayor's office? Ideally, it has a passage through to an underground lockup car park, just long enough for a stretch limo.
-
Ian Dalziel, in reply to
on the road to…. Damascus?
Sunday Star Times on page 3….. [We have Judith]
…and page 9
I especially like the photo of Judith with Cam and Carrick behind her in their balaclavas… – some kind of jolly hijab jape perhaps? -
Every minister in the Beehive used to have their own shower, dressing room etc, and maybe they still do.
So the story is a total beat up.
But the "secret annexe" bookshelf entrance does make it comical and therefore somewhat newsworthy.
What would have been wrong with a door? -
Andrew Geddis, in reply to
What would have been wrong with a door?
It is a door. Just one with bookshelves on it, that add extra storage space in what appears to be (from the NZ Herald's schematic diagram) a pretty small office and also (from an aesthetic point of view) doesn't break up the line of the bookcase. In other words, exactly the sort of thing you get when you get a designer to, you know, design an office space.
Furthermore, can you imagine the headline if this wasn't a bookshelf entrance? "Why is Len Brown wasting money on a plain door when he could use the space to store books? Does his profligacy know no bounds?"
-
The inevitable idiotic press release from the Taxpayers' Onion has been delivered:
MEDIA RELEASE
TIME FOR AUCKLAND RATEPAYERS TO HAVE A RECALL OPTION
7 DECEMBER 2014
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEThe Taxpayers' Union is calling on the Government to give local communities the ability to petition for recall elections, after Len Brown's latest snub to ratepayers has hit the headlines. The Herald on Sunday is reporting that Len Brown has had a private bathroom and dressing room installed behind a bookshelf in the Mayor's office. The secret rooms have cost ratepayers $30,000.
The Union's Executive Director, Jordan Williams, says:
"A secret dressing room, complete with a two seater couch, is a luxury lair, not value for money for ratepayers."
"Councillors have already censured Len Brown for misusing funds but clearly the line in the sand is being ignored. Mr Brown's refusal to talk to media says a lot about his respect for ratepayers and his fellow councillors."
"It's time the Government gave ratepayers a voice between elections. A recall option would enable ratepayers to petition for a vote to fire a shameless politicians who lacks any respect for those who pay the bills."
ENDS
-
Andrew Geddis, in reply to
The inevitable idiotic press release from the Taxpayers’ Onion has been delivered:
And published almost verbatim on the NZ Herald website ... .
The tl;dr - "See! This really was an important story!! It's sparked a serious debate about local politician accountability!!!"
-
Craig Ranapia, in reply to
“A secret dressing room, complete with a two seater couch, is a luxury lair, not value for money for ratepayers.”
Does this idiot have any idea what a proper bed of nails costs?
-
I counted at least six examples of mendacity or innuendo in that short release.
If the Farrar Front is going to be quoted in the media, couldn't the journos at least read a couple of paragraphs and then ask questions ?
"Why do you call it a lair? In what way are the rooms secret? Should ensuites in Ministerial offices be demolished?" etc
Research and effort required: minimal. Is basic professionalism too much to ask?
-
Craig Ranapia, in reply to
Research and effort required: minimal. Is basic professionalism too much to ask?
Apparently so -- and not for the first time, Russell seems to have committed more journalism in ten half-awake Sunday morning minutes than The Horsepiss on Sunday managed all week.
-
Alex Coleman, in reply to
Also, from the HoS's own reporting:
"All decisions relating to what facilities were included as part of the move were made by Auckland Council, not the mayoral office, and all costs were part of that Auckland Council budget.
-
May not mean anything, but somebody on Twitter has noted that the reporter's by-line (Cherie somebody) has been removed from the online story.
-
Sacha, in reply to
To really take the thread to the record
copyrighted material
-
Yeah, well, is it any surprise that the media can get away with this when you have a second-rate, creepy mayor like Brown? Whether you like it or not, everyone is not as freewheelin' with their moral opinion Len Brown as the PA readership. If I were Len Brown or one of his spin team, I would have made it anticipated this and made it clear that the secret rooms were for Len and the future cleanliness of other mayors.
-
Cabinet Ministers, most CEOs, heads of government departments, even some school principals have such 'lairs'. Didn't 7 Sharp go and have a look at the PM's one last year as part of a portrait of the PM's day, for one of their pre-election soft stories?
-
simon g, in reply to
How would this "making it clear" work, Jim?
A phone call to the Herald: "Hi, here are some things you might deliberately misreport, this is just a heads-up so you won't ... " ?
In short, get real.
-
Russell Brown, in reply to
If I were Len Brown or one of his spin team, I would have made it anticipated this and made it clear that the secret rooms were for Len and the future cleanliness of other mayors.
They're not secret rooms. They're behind a door, like most ensuites are. The designers merged the door with the bookcase, which is a pretty common interior design thing, especially for small spaces.
But clearly, no, today's desperate attack of underwear-sniffing was apparently not anticipated.
-
Wouldn't a hidden room be the ideal place for smoking crack?
#JustAskingQuestions
-
They're not secret rooms. They're behind a door, like most ensuites are. The designers merged the door with the bookcase, which is a pretty common interior design thing, especially for small spaces.
I cannot remember the last time I saw or encountered a bookcase-merged-door interior design of a bathroom. Is it as common as you think? I'm sure that the average suburban citizen doesn't think so. But anyway, given LB's track record, I would have thought that his minders would have considered the potential as to how bad this could look (or at least save Brown from further ridicule). You're a media guy and I'm surprised that you don't get this.
-
And I ask again, how?
What should have been done, by whom?
I'm pretty sure the Herald could twist anything you suggest , but would be happy to be wrong. Enlighten us.
-
Emma Hart, in reply to
I cannot remember the last time I saw or encountered a bookcase-merged-door interior design of a bathroom.
Amongst these photos, you will find one of the bookcase door that leads to the toilets at C1. That's even a public access area, which the mayor's dressing room is NOT.
Also, I just googled "luxury lair" and those are all three-seater couches.
-
Russell Brown, in reply to
I cannot remember the last time I saw or encountered a bookcase-merged-door interior design of a bathroom. Is it as common as you think? I’m sure that the average suburban citizen doesn’t think so.
It seems common enough, but even if it wasn’t, what on earth is there about it to trouble “the average suburban citizen”? The two rooms aren’t secret, they’re entirely functional, and the current mayoral office has the same facilities. You’re asking me to get up in arms about a goddamn interior design choice?
But anyway, given LB’s track record, I would have thought that his minders would have considered the potential as to how bad this could look (or at least save Brown from further ridicule). You’re a media guy and I’m surprised that you don’t get this.
Okay, let’s say they should have anticipated that this non-issue would be a front-page lead in the Sunday paper. What should they have done? Should the mayor’s comms team have overruled the council’s designers and insisted on a non-book door? Wouldn’t that have immediately got out and been fodder for “sensitive sex scandal mayor quashes office door design”? Would that have been a win?
Look, as I said, every person involved with that story knows that it’s bullshit. On that basis alone, it would seem evident that the weight of responsibility here doesn’t lie with the council comms office.
-
I quickly perused the Herald and Stuff early this am....in case some earth shattering event had been missed by Natrad news.
Saw the piece under discussion here and dismissed it as what has now become the usual Herald tripe. And the Collins crap....and as for Michele Hewiston's 'interview' with Millie Holmes....FFS!!!
There MUST (sorry to shout) be some issue of greater importance than this?
-
Jim Cathcart, in reply to
Okay, let’s say they should have anticipated that this non-issue would be a front-page lead in the Sunday paper.
OK, lets assume it’s a non-issue to Brown or his comms team. And let’s also assume it’s a non-issue to middle NZers. Why would the Herald publish a beat up without wanting readers to make negative associations? Don’t assume that people don’t. So yes, if I were an adviser to the mayoral office, I would have recommended something more utilitarian, like a door.
-
There sure are a lot of sex dungeons.
Post your response…
This topic is closed.