Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Victoria Crone and what politics is

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  • Russell Brown, in reply to izogi,

    I hope someone can immediately snuff this out, but with Auckland’s leadership at stake does she have any significant connections with the Dirty Politics crowd, and can any interference from that side be expected?

    The short answer is (1) No, and (2) No. Michelle Boag is among those backing Crone and Slater hates Boag. Crone’s also the kind of business leader Slater can’t bear and is of course associated with his new enemy Drury.

    I won’t help Slater out by linking to him, but he’s already well into a vendetta against Crone – albeit one he seemed to soften a bit yesterday. Lord knows what goes on in his mind.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • izogi, in reply to Russell Brown,

    Awesome. Thanks for that, Russell.

    @Sacha -

    Not seen that allegation. Link?

    You're correct! I mis-read the Herald article. Sorry.

    Wellington • Since Jan 2007 • 1142 posts Report Reply

  • Rich of Observationz, in reply to Sacha,

    Nothing like that bad, no.

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

  • Tom Semmens,

    Lord knows what goes on in his mind.

    And even the Lord has to shower with a steelo pad afterwards.

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

  • George Darroch, in reply to Russell Brown,

    Crone’s also the kind of business leader Slater can’t bear and is of course associated with his new enemy Drury.

    Oh, I just Googled. What a mess. Rodney Hide seems to be the source of this particular dispute.

    Expect dirty attacks on Crone as Slater seeks to exact revenge by proxy.

    WLG • Since Nov 2006 • 2264 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    Speaking of the blubbery one ... it looks like it's not a happy ship over at Whaleoil Industries.

    The schadenfreude, it is unavoidable.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • George Darroch, in reply to Russell Brown,

    "Sure, you’ve got all my money anyway. You’ve already wrecked the blog, pushed away all the commenters and reduced the traffic to a shadow of what it was. The experiment is coming to an end."

    I almost feel sorry for him. Then I remember that he’s dedicated the last half-decade to ruining people’s lives, and all sympathy dissipates.

    Back to the subject at hand; I wonder what the collapse of his blog, the failure of Scout, and the general weariness among the journalists I know for prepackaged foulness means for the election at hand. Goff is a very known quantity, and his detractors and opponents are not likely to find much to pin on him that he doesn’t already wear openly.

    WLG • Since Nov 2006 • 2264 posts Report Reply

  • Rich of Observationz, in reply to Russell Brown,

    The names mean nothing to me, but I may have just discovered the elusive profitable online business model: pay to be a twatcock.

    Basically, start a wingnut blog with subscription levels, and the more the subscriber pays, the more of a dick they can make of themselves, up to the level of Imperial Grand Wizard, where they get access to home addresses and can go around the other commenters' houses and get medieval on their asses.

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

  • linger, in reply to Rich of Observationz,

    Only works if you can moderate the twatcockery out of those who haven't paid enough. Or is that what you send the Imperial Grand Wizards round for?

    Tokyo • Since Apr 2007 • 1944 posts Report Reply

  • Rich of Observationz,

    Not initially, they just get their post blocked and an email:

    In your comment you stated that "person" had unlawful relations with an "insert species"

    This has been blocked as libellous - however, for the payment of $98.95, you can elevate your status to Principal Sojourner and gain the ability to make four libellous posts and one incitement to violence each year. Click here to make payment...

    The Imperial Grand Wizards are autonomous, anything they do with their access to personal details is entirely their responsibility. SpoutNZ (Pitcairn) SA accepts no vicarious responsibility for the activities of participants.

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

  • Kumara Republic, in reply to Russell Brown,

    Speaking of the blubbery one ... it looks like it's not a happy ship over at Whaleoil Industries.

    The schadenfreude, it is unavoidable.

    Whaleoil Industries, it seems, is facing both a general strike and a shareholder revolt at once.

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

  • Sacha,

    How would Crone handle well-resourced nimby advocates like Ak 2040 - whose leader just told Todd Niall on RNZ that council should have to ask each homeowner individually before rezoning their suburb to allow 3 storey intensification.

    The ones he mentioned by name? Mission Bay and St Heliers. Of course many of the houses there are 3 storey already - but they have one wealthy family living in them rather than multiple riff-raff who could afford to if there were terraced/apartment options. Some might even be brown!

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Sue,

    It would be great to know about more than just her employment
    Being great at business or being on boards doesn't say much

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 527 posts Report Reply

  • Kumara Republic, in reply to Sacha,

    The ones he mentioned by name? Mission Bay and St Heliers. Of course many of the houses there are 3 storey already – but they have one wealthy family living in them rather than multiple riff-raff who could afford to if there were terraced/apartment options. Some might even be brown!

    What if there was a resource consent application for a mosque? Pass the popcorn.

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

  • Steve Withers, in reply to Sofie Bribiesca,

    Hear! Hear!

    Auckland • Since Mar 2008 • 312 posts Report Reply

  • Steve Withers,

    I thought it ethically interesting she was appointed to the Board of Contact Energy – at $126,000/annum – a week before announcing her campaign.

    Hard not to see that is a defacto campaign contribution from a crony bloc. What are the names of the people involved in that decision? It would be good to know. I wonder how Contact’s power customers / shareholders feel about paying for her to run for mayor of Auckland?

    OK…Goff has a Parliamentary pension after 30+ years of service to the people of NZ. Hardly the same thing…..but some people don’t seem to be able to tell the difference. I wouldn’t trust them with anything important.

    Auckland • Since Mar 2008 • 312 posts Report Reply

  • Steve Withers, in reply to Sacha,

    Did I hear the news right yesterday? Dick Quax did his prunes at the Council meeting and walked out because he couldn’t add a NIMBY-driven zoning item to the agenda?

    Quax was elected by acclamation last time. That’s a disgrace. I’ll run against him next year just to force the vote if no one else does.

    Auckland • Since Mar 2008 • 312 posts Report Reply

  • chris, in reply to Steve Withers,

    I wonder how Contact’s power customers / shareholders feel about paying for her to run for mayor of Auckland?

    Not particularly stoked ttytt. We only joined Contact the day that Pryke stepped down, and we’re currently going through the motions to get an export meter installed. I called them earlier this week to make some inquiries about the to-do list they’d sent through and I was told the relevant department would call back the same day. It’s Friday now and I’m yet to hear back.

    Crone is just one director, she was only appointed to the Contact board a couple of months back, but for that kind of salary I’d prefer that board members would at least make a marginal effort to maintain the appearance that they’re dedicated to improving services, as opposed to, say, broadcasting that this director who is earning as much as two front line staff has the time to mug it up for the cameras as part of what is likely to be an incredibly intense campaign to secure a completely different job, while we wait.

    it’s a shit look.

    Mawkland • Since Jan 2010 • 1302 posts Report Reply

  • nzlemming, in reply to Russell Brown,

    Lord knows what goes on in his mind

    You're assuming there is one...

    Waikanae • Since Nov 2006 • 2937 posts Report Reply

  • Jason Kemp,

    I suspect that the real challenge for any mayoral campaign is to get anyone to actually vote. I know a few of the local board members and they seem to be very motivated to work for the good of the community over a number of years.

    Even so most of them get very little support. It doesn’t strike me as a network that can be “managed” very easily at all. I suspect that Crone should be looking at the city CEO role which she would be qualified for and not for the mayoralty. It looks like a moonshot.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 368 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Steve Withers,

    Quax did his prunes at the Council meeting and walked out because he couldn’t add a NIMBY-driven zoning item to the agenda?

    Heard a bit on RNZ. Trying to relitigate fundamentals for the umpteenth time. Mayor was having none of it.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    Theresa Gattung similarly fails to grasp the difference between being a corporate CEO and holding civic office.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

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