Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Auckland, so much enormity to answer for

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  • Sacha, in reply to Russell Brown,

    non-crooners need not apply

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • James Butler, in reply to Russell Brown,

    Further to the entertainment thing, I gather there have been urgent requests for more live acts for the later stages of the tournament -- presumably for Captain Cook Wharf -- and the Music Industry Commission has been busy trying to fulfill them.

    Mean Girls, please please please. Cleanse the wharf with blood and spilled Heineken.

    Auckland • Since Jan 2009 • 856 posts Report Reply

  • Sofie Bribiesca, in reply to Russell Brown,

    Further to the entertainment thing,

    Couldn't the Council make use of the newly repaired Aotea Square? Y'know ,the one next to the Town Hall. That would fit nicely into the Warriors Game Sunday.

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report Reply

  • James Butler, in reply to Sofie Bribiesca,

    Couldn’t the Council make use of the newly repaired Aotea Square? Y’know ,the one next to the Town Hall. That would fit nicely into the Warriors Game Sunday.

    But then where would the Land Rovers drive around in circles?

    Auckland • Since Jan 2009 • 856 posts Report Reply

  • Phil Lyth,

    It's pretty common for MPs to be approached by people seeking help, and they do what they can to assist. Ministers and their offices listen to opposition MPs as well as Govt ones. This isn't to say that laws or policies will be ignored.

    In my time at Parlt, I saw plenty of casework and was able to feel some job satisfaction in getting a few things sorted. One of the more unusual was the farmer with stock spooked by lowflying Skyhawks: the answer back from Max Bradford's office within the day was, righto, that farm is marked on the map to stay away from.

    This year, I owe thanks to Maurice Williamson's office for a bit of help with my Mum's funeral. No donation was requested.

    Wellington • Since Apr 2009 • 458 posts Report Reply

  • Bevan Shortridge,

    Not that Mr Key was about to ignore the weekend's other sporting glory, of course

    Yeah, I'm not sure Key's actually ever been to a Warriors game before. I don't appreciate the late bandwagon jumping, or the Mad Butcher's sudden championing of his new best friend. Key was on the Warriors home page wearing a home jersey for a while this year or last but might have been the closest he got to a game hitherto.

    I felt a bit out of place walking to Skycity to watch the Warriors. Everyone else on Queen St seemed to be heading in the opposite direction on the fan trail. At a bar past the casino floor they had the Warriors on the big screen, although there was some issue with sound.

    The bar staff apparently had to ring someone elsewhere each time to get the sound on, and sound was only allowed on during the games themselves, so the first minute or two of each half for the Juniors and Seniors games were in silence until the crowd made enough noise about there not being noise that someone made the call - or whoever had taken the call did whatever they did to bring the sound up.

    Can't complain too much as they had a big screen which wasn't showing the All Blacks (instead we saw the Junior Warriors thumping Junior Bulldogs 64-0 - yes! - to get into their Final before the main game). And it might be one of the few screens for the Grand Final if they can't organise more spots.

    I have been surprised something more local isn't used for the AB games. The NRL has almost always looked elsewhere though, Bon Jovi doing the promo song honours this year.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 122 posts Report Reply

  • Bevan Shortridge,

    Couldn't the Council make use of the newly repaired Aotea Square? Y'know ,the one next to the Town Hall. That would fit nicely into the Warriors Game Sunday.

    Walking past on Saturday night I thought the same thing. I'm surprised it wasn't a RWC fan zone thing. Although I guess that wouldn't help with anything on at the Aotea Centre or Town Hall. Or noise levels for apartment dwellers, which I think were talked about beforehand.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 122 posts Report Reply

  • raoulduke,

    Michael Luck is Australian. I dont think even the John could help him with his passport.

    Auckland • Since Sep 2011 • 5 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Bevan Shortridge,

    surprised it wasn't a RWC fan zone

    It was. Until McCully, Key et al..

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Phil Lyth, in reply to raoulduke,

    Even if both parents have kept Aussie citizenship, the baby was born here and looks to be a NZ citizen: from the Internal Affairs website

    From 1 January 2006, children born in New Zealand (or in the Cook Islands, Niue or Tokelau) acquire New Zealand citizenship at birth only if at least one of their parents:
    is a New Zealand citizen; or
    is entitled to be in New Zealand indefinitely in terms of the Immigration Act 1987(i.e. a residence permit holder or Australian citizen); or
    is entitled to reside indefinitely in the Cook Islands, Tokelau or Niue.

    Wellington • Since Apr 2009 • 458 posts Report Reply

  • Bevan Shortridge, in reply to Sacha,

    Until McCully, Key et al..

    Ah, that seems to happen occasionally.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 122 posts Report Reply

  • Angus Robertson,

    ...but it seems more likely that there was some official panic at the sight of people dancing. Public Address reader Jen Lander reported on the night that 15 police officers unexpectedly lined up, "high vis vests, very staunch" and shut it down:

    Maybe, buried in a council report, is an advisory about structural integrity and resonance frequencies of old piers.

    Auckland • Since May 2007 • 984 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Sacha,

    surprised it wasn’t a RWC fan zone

    It was. Until McCully, Key et al..

    To be fair, it also suited the council to change its mind about spending a couple of mill on a permanent giant screen, but yes. Until Party Central, the plan was for a large family-friendly fan zone. The giant rugby ball was supposed to go there.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Angus Robertson,

    Maybe, buried in a council report, is an advisory about structural integrity and resonance frequencies of old piers.

    I believe the wharf was passed fit for drum 'n' bass, but officials are making further enquiries with regard to dubstep.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Williams, in reply to Craig Ranapia,

    Personally, I’m more concerned that anyone should be able to get a passport expedited by picking up the phone and called their Beehive bromance for reasons that should be too bloody obvious to require stating to intelligent people

    I’m not so bothered. It is a step beyond ringing your local MP to help out but. PMs can and should apply the authority of their office to certain situations and there is a public interest in NZ brands, sporting or otherwise, being promoted offshore (I realise this is only tangentally connected but it is connected). Perhaps my personal circumstances are clouding my judgment, I once called on my local MP to help rush a passport application for my youngest (as it happens, it wasn’t needed, the NZ embassy in Australia rushed through the application well ahead of their standard business processes as it was for Christmas related travel).

    Even if both parents have kept Aussie citizenship, the baby was born here and looks to be a NZ citizen: from the Internal Affairs website

    In stark contrast with the children of kiwis living in Australia. My two youngest were born in Australia but becase we're not Permanent Residents, they are entitled only to NZ citizenship and passports. If they live here, I think, 10 years contiguously, they'll get citizenship automatically.

    Sydney • Since Nov 2006 • 2273 posts Report Reply

  • Rich of Observationz,

    I'm not sure Key's actually ever been to a Warriors game before

    I had this idea for a business as I saw all the pollies doing sport tweets over the weekend. The idea would be that politicians who don't give a shit about sports but want to be down with the people can subscribe, supply social network credentials and get a flow of tweets written for them during major games, while they sit with their feet up reading John Stuart Mill/Hager/Trollope.

    Guaranteed impartial, confidential service. Optional pre-game focus grouping to determine whether the electors of Haltemprice South would appreciate their MP supporting Namiba or Tonga.

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

  • Rich of Observationz, in reply to Paul Williams,

    The DIA will do an expedited passport for a fee. That seems fair enough, rather than trying to corrupt a politician to get one.

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

  • Tom Semmens,

    The only bum note I would have about Saturday was getting dropped off in Morningside Drive with a lack of directions - one of our bus load asked directions and was told to "follow everyone else". I actually live closer to Eden Park than where we were dropped off, so no harm done - I acted as the ersatz guide. But if we'd all come from outside that part of town, then you could have ended up walking to Eden Park a very long way round.

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

  • Phil Lyth, in reply to Rich of Observationz,

    +1

    Said MP might be reading Ayn Rand?

    (for the avoidance of doubt, +1 referring to tweets not passports)

    Wellington • Since Apr 2009 • 458 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Russell Brown,

    change its mind about spending a couple of mill on a permanent giant screen

    happened a long time after the party central brainwave, but

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Tom Semmens,

    But if we’d all come from outside that part of town, then you could have ended up walking to Eden Park a very long way round.

    I rescued an Australian mum and kids from walking in exactly the wrong direction for Dominion Road afterwards.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Russell Brown,

    further enquiries with regard to dubstep

    not really music though is it? just ask Murray, if you can pull him away from the Little River Band covers in the booze barn next door.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Rich Lock, in reply to Rich of Observationz,

    while they sit with their feet up reading John Stuart Mill/Hager/Trollope.

    Ayn Rand, Burke, Adam Smith. Oh, and not to forget
    Siegfried Engelmann and Elaine C. Bruner.

    back in the mother countr… • Since Feb 2007 • 2728 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Williams, in reply to Rich of Observationz,

    The DIA will do an expedited passport for a fee. That seems fair enough, rather than trying to corrupt a politician to get one.

    My circumstances were different again. We'd neglected to register her birth so we needed to do that first before an application could be lodged. Fortunately, the Embassy staff rushed everything well beyond the usual business practice and processed the registration and then the application (for which we did pay the additional fee) inside, from memory, ten days.

    "Corrupting" a politician wasn't ever an option, asking my local MP to potentially help in awkward personal circumstances was my back-up option. One of the things all MPs do is to advocate on behalf of their constituents, public servants expect this and, save breaching the law or codes of conduct, will always try to deliver service.

    Sydney • Since Nov 2006 • 2273 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Russell Brown,

    our old friend, inadequate signage

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

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