Public Address | Cafe | Hard News: A different kind of country

Steve Barnes

Wed, 24 Jul 2013 12:31:27 +1200

Sometimes I think we live in a seal colony, we keep being tossed Red Herrings.
"We are going to mine Conservation Land"....

"We are not going to mine Conservation Lands because we are really Green so you don't need that terrible Green party"

"We can;t afford a tunnel for Auckland…

Matthew Poole

Tue, 23 Jul 2013 08:17:03 +1200

Even Deb Hill Cone smells a rat, no matter how hard she tries to avoid political commentary.

From memory, DHC is rather sympathetic to our Shon-Key PM, too. I found the piece quite enlightening, though I doubt it'll actually change her vote.

linger

Tue, 23 Jul 2013 00:50:27 +1200

as secret as a flasher’s knobagreed, at least WRT asset sales, but YTF is so much of NZ still focussing on the shiny shiny coat fabric instead of noticing how much they’ve been shafted in the meantime?

Kumara Republic

Tue, 23 Jul 2013 00:29:59 +1200

Even Deb Hill Cone smells a rat, no matter how hard she tries to avoid political commentary.

Sacha

Sat, 20 Jul 2013 13:43:27 +1200

as secret as a flasher's knob

applause

Sacha

Sat, 20 Jul 2013 13:43:07 +1200

why would they vote?

Because they believe it will make a difference. People are too smart to waste their time otherwise.

Matthew Poole

Sat, 20 Jul 2013 10:04:13 +1200

The absurdity about Labour’s attempt at bedding in the “secret agenda” meme (and National’s in 1999) is that it was about as secret as a flasher’s knob.

As opposed to the current term's "unspoken until right up to the moment where we ram it down your throat" agenda, such as…

Craig Ranapia

Sat, 20 Jul 2013 08:36:04 +1200

but they are totally focused on the 30% of people who want the same agenda and thats enough to get them into power.

AKA At least trying to do exactly what you told people you were going to do? The absurdity about Labour's attempt at bedding in the "secret agenda"…

Kumara Republic

Sat, 20 Jul 2013 02:31:52 +1200

If the non voters could be inspired to vote who would they vote for ?

With a small number of exceptions like political commentator Colin James – who hasn't voted since 1975 on the grounds of impartiality – it's a safe bet that a lot of these non-voters are down…

Richard Aston

Fri, 19 Jul 2013 20:12:48 +1200

More people need to get out and vote – they do however need to have an opposition to for whom they will get out and vote.

That's the big one . In the last election 25.8 % of eligible voters just didn't vote. That is second to National's 32.3% of…

DexterX

Fri, 19 Jul 2013 16:42:05 +1200

Every single negotiation they've been involved in they've been completely ripped off, not personally of course, it's just our money they've lost.

Yes the Torys, by default, take a position of strength – being the elected government of sovereign nation and negotiate to a position of weakness for the general…

izogi

Fri, 19 Jul 2013 16:27:36 +1200

There's nothing more disturbing than a government granting itself more power and failing to construct adequate accountability or oversight mechanisms.

It's something about trying to run the government as a business, where in business freedom and openness aren't automatic givens. (Try asking Coca Cola Amatil how many bottled water units…

Kumara Republic

Fri, 19 Jul 2013 16:17:59 +1200

if you actually believe running the country like a business is a good idea then why would you vote for this bunch of hopeless clowns.

"Socialism never took root in America because the poor see themselves not as an exploited proletariat but as temporarily embarrassed millionaires." ― John Steinbeck

Bart Janssen

Fri, 19 Jul 2013 15:04:36 +1200

JohnKey sees himself as CEO of NZ Corp

There are a lot of people who firmly believe that running our country as if it was a "proper business" would be best for all.

Setting aside the sheer ignorance of such a view, given the appalling performance of using business methods…

Sacha

Fri, 19 Jul 2013 14:38:23 +1200

collectives require better leadership and extra coordination effort, yes

Kumara Republic

Fri, 19 Jul 2013 13:34:52 +1200

coherence – to be fair, that’s easier when you’re fed lines by your party.

Ah, of course... KB & WO are also card-carrying members of the blue team, which counts as connections.

TS & TDB on the other hand, are more loosely organised collectives that transcend party politics. That's both a blessing…

DexterX

Fri, 19 Jul 2013 13:34:08 +1200

Labour are double tasking – they are heading a recruitment drives for both the Green Party and NZ First.

Sacha

Fri, 19 Jul 2013 13:27:24 +1200

they could learn a thing or two from the Greens

wouldn't hurt

Sacha

Fri, 19 Jul 2013 13:26:20 +1200

coherence – to be fair, that's easier when you're fed lines by your party.

Kumara Republic

Fri, 19 Jul 2013 13:25:22 +1200

If the left package up a coherent story, it gets reported.

Such as the joint announcement of NZ Power, where they managed to set the agenda for once, instead of others setting it for them. But so far, for every NZ Power there seem to be several Man Bans.

As…

Richard Aston

Fri, 19 Jul 2013 12:19:51 +1200

Agree Sacha, they need you on their policy/media team.
Or maybe they could learn a thing or two from the Greens.

Peter Martin

Fri, 19 Jul 2013 12:15:22 +1200

It strikes me that as National has moved from the 'centre', Labour has been dragged to the right too and is now National lite. How else the cognitive dissonance when decrying the Sky deal and enjoying their hospitality?
Only one Party has been consistent in its opposition from the very…

Chris Waugh

Fri, 19 Jul 2013 11:43:35 +1200

and I’m going there tomorrow night to watch a movie about corruption in China. What should I do???

Sorry, but I had to laugh at that one. The way this government is going, I'm starting to think that they'll have removed a lot of the potential culture shock I'm likely…

Sacha

Fri, 19 Jul 2013 11:25:20 +1200

If the left package up a coherent story, it gets reported. Media are not well-resourced anymore to develop stuff themselves, hence recycling whatever they're fed. Swamp the feed. This is not rocket surgery.

Sacha

Fri, 19 Jul 2013 11:22:01 +1200

Labour is endlessly looking up its own arse

Constipation, perhaps?

Today, Labour's backroomers are named. Someone please feed Rob Salmond a laxative.

Kumara Republic

Fri, 19 Jul 2013 11:11:15 +1200

I still believe in democracy and the ability to vote these bastards out but it is going to take a lot of effort when the corporate media are happy with the status quo. Russell Norman has so far been the only one with balls enough to actually directly take on…

Kumara Republic

Fri, 19 Jul 2013 09:59:39 +1200

Singapore without the duty of care? Certainly a country that has begun to move away from basic norms of free speech.

Come to think of it, there are cacophonic echoes of Sir Joh exclaiming, "don't you worry about that!"

Luke Williamson

Fri, 19 Jul 2013 09:31:14 +1200

JohnKey sees himself as CEO of NZ Corp and, as head of the company, he can do whatever he likes until the end of his "contract". His sole job is to maximise profits for the shareholders, i.e. the 32% of voters who gain advantage from the way he runs the…

Richard Aston

Fri, 19 Jul 2013 09:22:40 +1200

Lack of proper opposition disturbs me more

+1 Sacha
It the thing that disturbs me the most. I can all rant on about the National Lead govt neo liberal agenda but they are totally focused on the 30% of people who want the same agenda and thats enough to get…

Tom Semmens

Fri, 19 Jul 2013 08:52:02 +1200

I just did a search to see if the Kiwiblog webpage had been chached somewhere – no luck. We’ll just have to remember back to the good old days…

Here you go!

Tom Semmens

Fri, 19 Jul 2013 08:32:45 +1200

John Key, Steven Joyce, Bill English. Corporate technocrats with the values of neo-liberalism imprinted in their DNA, with the first two bringing a heavy dose of impatient plutocracy to their job as well. Judith Collins shows every sign of being a not-so-secret Fascist. Gerry Brownlee is arrogant to the point…

Damian Christie

Fri, 19 Jul 2013 07:51:58 +1200

Completion date is 2017 right? I doubt this National Party will have much say in what is and isn’t allowed to book the venue at that time.

Yeah I noted this yesterday on Twitter, the fact that Denise Roche seemed to take it as read that the National Government would…

Euan Mason

Fri, 19 Jul 2013 06:49:56 +1200

Jeff,

I have boycotted an event at Skycity that was put on by my professional institute. I see it as worth the personal sacrifice.

Cheers,
Euan

Ianmac

Fri, 19 Jul 2013 06:31:40 +1200

The mellow response from New Zealand as a whole is truly disturbing. I guess that the issue lacks a direct context to "hardworking nzers." Hope that some part strikes a chord (discord?) with my friends and neighbours soon.

Craig Ranapia

Fri, 19 Jul 2013 03:10:33 +1200

Instead of frothing in the comments, I went and spit-flecked a whole more-or-less coherent post of my own.

Craig Ranapia

Thu, 18 Jul 2013 23:16:18 +1200

As I said on Twitter, it's painfully ironic that this came to light the same day the Auckland leg of the New Zealand International Film Festival kicks off — and the next seventeen days will see dozens of screenings at... the Sky City Theatre.

Perhaps it would be the perfect…

kiwifarang

Thu, 18 Jul 2013 22:54:19 +1200

John Key is a banker! John Key is a banker! Lalalala hey! Lalalala hey!

He answers to Wall Street and Barry O and the City of London. And until those 32% of NZers that think he's a good bloke lose their shirts in a stock market / bond / currency…

Jeff Rowe

Thu, 18 Jul 2013 22:37:54 +1200

I have an horrific feeling that we are in for three more years (at least) of the same. I was going to say nobody cares. What I mean is – there aren't enough who care. I'm annoyed that the Film Festival uses Sky City – and I'm going there tomorrow…

Kiwiiano

Thu, 18 Jul 2013 21:30:30 +1200

I think Jim Morin sums it up:
http://www.gocomics.com/jimmorin/2013/07/07/

Lightly tweaked:

dcnbwz

Thu, 18 Jul 2013 20:56:43 +1200

What is at stake here, which is probably becoming obvious by now is the very fabric of what I thought made up our society. I believed we had a constitution that protected us from corporates and corruption being able to purchase law so blatantly, with disregard for our established legal…

Sacha

Thu, 18 Jul 2013 20:27:47 +1200

Great article

Yamis

Thu, 18 Jul 2013 19:18:12 +1200

Completion date is 2017 right? I doubt this National Party will have much say in what is and isn't allowed to book the venue at that time. Fingers crossed.

Sofie Bribiesca

Thu, 18 Jul 2013 19:15:38 +1200

Dame Anne Salmond had this to say t'other day in the Herald.

Euan Mason

Thu, 18 Jul 2013 19:08:58 +1200

The most astounding thing is that John Key apparently believes that groups he doesn’t like would actually want to hold a conference at this gambling facility. Bananas anyone?

nzlemming

Thu, 18 Jul 2013 19:07:30 +1200

There’s a quote in the comments of that Farrar page:

This government has destroyed this country. Every soldier who sacrificed themselves for New Zealand must be rolling in their graves. Yesterday democracy died in New Zealand. It is bordering on treason!. How dare Labour think that they can do this!…

Sacha

Thu, 18 Jul 2013 18:26:07 +1200

There's nothing more disturbing than a government granting itself more power and failing to construct adequate accountability or oversight mechanisms.

Lack of proper opposition disturbs me more.

Sacha

Thu, 18 Jul 2013 18:25:15 +1200

National is the party of freedom

That would be the kool-aid. They've been far from 'hands-off' for the whole time – despite what leftist dunces were running around saying until recently.

Barnaby Nicholls

Thu, 18 Jul 2013 18:16:53 +1200

There's nothing more disturbing than a government granting itself more power and failing to construct adequate accountability or oversight mechanisms.

Marriage equality aside, I'm having trouble thinking of any legislation this government has passed which hasn't aided the privileged few at the expense of the rest. Tertiary education cuts, charter…

Tristan

Thu, 18 Jul 2013 17:47:44 +1200

It struck me that these little laws chipping away at our freedom and privacy can all be escalated in the blink if an eye. One event being labeled a terrorist attack in nz would be enough to send this govt in to over drive.

I think we should all send…

Trevor Nicholls

Thu, 18 Jul 2013 17:37:00 +1200

The current regime acts as though it believes the law is the no man's land which separates the people from the rulership. We are responsible to the law, they are not. We are responsible to them, they are not responsible to us.

How many law changes in the term of…

"chris"

Thu, 18 Jul 2013 17:14:55 +1200

Kick-ass post Russell =D Early birthday salutations to ya, you good thing!

Matthew Poole

Thu, 18 Jul 2013 16:57:06 +1200

if you just let Sky City handle it, that's an arguably commercial issue, and not really a BORA thing.

Maybe not BORA, but still Human Rights Act in relation to discrimination in the provision of services. The entire veto concept is a ticking bomb for everyone. Just shows the utter…

Richard Aston

Thu, 18 Jul 2013 16:38:40 +1200

I heard a chilling take on all this from a key person in Horizon Research ( sorry can't name them) . All the Nats need is to do is keep 30 – 32% of the voting population happy, if they get their votes they will get a majority of seats…

Russell Brown

Thu, 18 Jul 2013 16:07:40 +1200

Farrar’s line about SkyCity getting ‘a quarter’ of what they sought is an outright lie that only works if people focus on the headline pokie numbers and not the extra spots at automated gambling tables in the deal.

Yeah, it's 100% made of spin.

boonman

Thu, 18 Jul 2013 15:58:51 +1200

I just did a search to see if the Kiwiblog webpage had been chached somewhere – no luck. We'll just have to remember back to the good old days...

Ross Kendall

Thu, 18 Jul 2013 15:42:05 +1200

About now the main parties need to declare precisely where they stand in regard to citizens’ rights and the values and practices of the community. Let’s aim for a fair go for all, a Switzerland with a commitment to care (and a cherished head of state like Anne Salmond).

Kumara Republic

Thu, 18 Jul 2013 15:32:09 +1200

What are they putting in our drinking water?

Whatever it is, I just hope it's not Kool-Aid.

Sacha

Thu, 18 Jul 2013 15:31:17 +1200

would an arms conference be the kind of thing that might be problematic?

surely more likely to damage our international reputation than a biodiversity conference would

Sacha

Thu, 18 Jul 2013 15:30:00 +1200

Farrar's line about SkyCity getting 'a quarter' of what they sought is an outright lie that only works if people focus on the headline pokie numbers and not the extra spots at automated gambling tables in the deal.

TracyMac

Thu, 18 Jul 2013 15:26:41 +1200

Maybe some professional groups might be amenable to pressure, but I'd say the majority (e.g. Microsoft TechEd, which is a fairly large event) won't give a single shit.

bronwyn

Thu, 18 Jul 2013 15:26:01 +1200

I have many, many thoughts on this convention centre, which I'll come back to when I've got a bit more time, but just quickly – I'm surprised at people thinking Sky City's original demands were actually anything they thought they'd be able to get. It's a pretty standard negotiating procedure…

Grant Taylor

Thu, 18 Jul 2013 15:24:41 +1200

Prism, GCSB, Sky City, to name just the most recent betrayals of democracy by this government that come to mind – and still the mainstream media are calm and hardly any one sees the relevance. What are they putting in our drinking water?

Keir Leslie

Thu, 18 Jul 2013 15:21:29 +1200

Isn't it a bit dumb of MED to try and get the government a veto function? After all, at that point, it's clearly subject to BORA, but if you just let Sky City handle it, that's an arguably commercial issue, and not really a BORA thing.

Also opens up hilarious…

Kumara Republic

Thu, 18 Jul 2013 15:06:21 +1200

Taken as a part with John Key’s dimissive (and deceptive and bullying) swatting away of concerns about the GCSB bill from the Human Rights Commission – and the Privacy Commsssioner and the Law Society – this latest insult makes it feel even more as if New Zealand is turning into…

Allan Moyle

Thu, 18 Jul 2013 15:01:34 +1200

NZ starting to look like that other pacific island nation with a belligerent leadership, cast aside democratic processes and decreasing free speech/freedom of assembly.

Geoff Lealand

Thu, 18 Jul 2013 14:55:05 +1200

Poor little Sky City getting victimised again? How do we get people to stay away from that place? We could ask professional groups we are involved with not to hold events there eg SPADA conferences.

Idiot Savant

Thu, 18 Jul 2013 14:41:30 +1200

Reading that section, I was wondering if MED had even heard of the Bill of Rights Act. Its certainly a sign that it hasn't sunk as far into the policy-making process as we would like.

The Ruminator

Thu, 18 Jul 2013 14:35:45 +1200

Wow. This is a call to arms if ever I saw one. Nice piece Russell.

Edit: just so we're clear, I don't mean a literal call to arm oneself and start a militia.

Ben Curran

Thu, 18 Jul 2013 14:35:39 +1200

It's not so much the actions themselves that bug me (though they do), it's the general disregard for the rule of law that really gets me – hell, if the law commission are worried ...

The even bigger worry though is the number of people around me in day to…

Sara Bee

Thu, 18 Jul 2013 14:34:54 +1200

Right bloody on!

Public Address

Thu, 18 Jul 2013 14:34:54 +1200

Discussion from blog post.