Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: F**kin' Choice

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  • Evan Yates,

    We are lucky that there is no charge for awesomeness* or we would have to pay extra to watch ' Fortune

    Yes, I still read the Listener. I agree with other commenters about the Friedman interview. The condescending tone just rankled.
    His point about us having no effective navy to protect "our" trade shipping made we wonder... How many NZ flagged shipping lines still exist? I thought most of our goods went to their markets on ships with flags of other countries flying off the stern.
    Score! Once again we get to freeload our maritime security from someone else... ;-) We are getting pretty good at that trick.

    * once again quoting Kung-Fu Panda

    Hamiltron, Te Ika-a-Māui • Since Nov 2006 • 197 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Litterick,

    The answer to any question posed on a Listener cover invariably is "no." With this knowledge, one can save time that would be wasted reading the article.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1000 posts Report Reply

  • Kumara Republic,

    APN's publications don't even need the corrupting influence of Murdoch to have gone downmarket, that's how far they've nuked the fridge. Chapter 7's too good for them.

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

  • Brickley Paiste,

    Agree with you about Metro. It was getting too much like the giveaway rags, all gloss and froth, but it has returned to real stories. It will put the Listener to shame.

    Definitely. The piece on Kane Wright's killing was top rate. I found her two digs at legal aid a bit unfortunate (the Crown were also paid through the public purse, at higher hourly rates and at higher time allowances than the defence and for the same work).

    The best part, I thought, was that Chisholm got that cop, Ian McGill, to go on the record with this:

    The Wrighs and the Vialls do not represent our target market, if you like, and nor is Darin Gardner our target market for an offender. They are all Pakeha. They are all educated. I can't remember the last time I dealt with someone as an offender who was employed. And can't think of the last time I worked on a job like that where English was the first language for everyone involved. It was also the first time when all our witnesses actually assisted the police. So the back story to this case is unique. You have a slice of society that I've had little to do with in South Auckland. You could almost smell and taste the tension because we had decent folk...You were working with them as oppposed, unfortunately, to quite often here when you are working against a family because the victims themselves may be criminals. You treat all victims of crime professionally but you just know that could be your family there so that means the stakes are a little higher.

    There is a lot to unpack in that quote. Some of it is honest and fair. Some of it should be said behind closed doors and not to a journalist. Some of it is vile.

    But obviously the writer did really well to get the quote and it really helps to frame the piece.

    Since Mar 2009 • 164 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Litterick,

    (the Crown were also paid through the public purse, at higher hourly rates and at higher time allowances than the defence and for the same work).

    Interesting thought; debate about Legal Aid always presents it as some sort of liability, when in fact it is about securing a fair trial. The costs of Crown prosecutions are rarely discussed, because they are part of Justice.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1000 posts Report Reply

  • Brickley Paiste,

    Interesting thought; debate about Legal Aid always presents it as some sort of liability, when in fact it is about securing a fair trial. The costs of Crown prosecutions are rarely discussed, because they are part of Justice.

    Word up.

    I think Crown Law pays the prosecutors and Treasury pays Crown Law. The Legal Services Agency pays defence cousel. It all comes from the same place but at different hourly rates for the same work and more time for the same work.

    For example, defence counsel does x and gets paid y an hour and is limited to z hours to complete x.

    The Crown does x and gets paid y1 and is given z1 hours to complete the same x.

    It's whack and wrong. It's admission that the State has a higher interest in successful prosecutions than acquittals. And there is no Director of Public Prosecutions...

    Since Mar 2009 • 164 posts Report Reply

  • Leigh Kennaway,

    You black avatar guys always stick together.



    I think the correct expression these days is
    You avatar guys of colour always stick together.

    Western Bays • Since Feb 2007 • 79 posts Report Reply

  • Tony Parker,

    Re Outrageous Fortune-I made fish pie for tea tonight. Wonder how it compares to Cheryl's...or Pascal's for that matter.

    Napier • Since Nov 2008 • 232 posts Report Reply

  • Matthew Littlewood,

    And ... The Listener. Having forced myself to wade through most of the interview with George Friedman, I cannot see why he and his book would have deserved even a single-paragraph review, let alone been stuck on the bloody cover of the magazine this week.

    Terence O'Brien had it right: Friedman is an irrelevant cold warrior preaching to the choir. His advice for us little New Zealanders was as patronising as his grasp on global economics is slender. It was just embarrassing, both in terms of the rhetoric and the editorial decision to make it a cover story.

    Absolutely- what next a profile piece by a representative of the Cato Institute? Actually, Terence O'Brien's rebuttal was so sharp as to make me wonder whether the Listener should employ him as a commentator.

    Wilson is essentially phrasing arguments about Auckland -- you don't have to agree with him, but you won't be left in any doubt about what his point is and why he's making it. (This month, why a Supercity is really a good idea; last month, Auckland's sleepwalk to the Rugby World Cup.)

    I thought his Super City piece was way too pollyanish for comfort, but yes, it was well put-together, and browsing through the issue at the cafe, it seemed to have some good subsidary stuff in it.

    Re: Outrageous Fortune: yeah, good opener. But in recent seasons, I've had a slight problem with the way the show's pitched- can't put my finger on it precisely, but there are times when it seems to heavy and leaden, it's always at its most convincing during the more frivilous moments, especially those which involve Van and Munter and the grandfather, who are the show's heart.

    That said, I can't deny that one of the reasons the show works is that it manages to juggle a whole lot of contradictory tones and styles, though.

    Today, Tomorrow, Timaru • Since Jan 2007 • 449 posts Report Reply

  • Stewart,

    I fear that the Listener lost its heart & soul with the departure of Finlay Macdonald. Since Pamela Stirling has had hold of the reins it has been a steady downhill slide. Now I don't know either of these individuals, although I have heard Finlay on bFM, so I can't really ascribe it to them personally, but that's my take on it.

    Te Ika A Maui - Whakatane… • Since Oct 2008 • 577 posts Report Reply

  • Judy Callingham,

    Just staggered in exhausted from three days away. Drug of choice: MySky and OF . Aaaaahhhh!

    How do we cope between series without these bogans? They keep me sane.

    PS - Russell, you're being far too nice to everyone. Have you found a supply of Loretta's interesting new party drugs?

    Auckland • Since Apr 2009 • 13 posts Report Reply

  • Ian Dalziel,

    Meanwhile back in Bogan Vllla...

    Re Outrageous Fortune-I made fish pie for tea tonight. Wonder how it compares to Cheryl's...or Pascal's for that matter.

    ...all this and The L.E.D.S in the soundtrack!
    now they're cookin'...

    yrs
    Gawd N. Ramses
    eff fer pheasant?

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report Reply

  • Carol Stewart,

    Great programme, Russell (Media 7, that is, of course). Thoroughly enjoyed it.
    The unkind thought did cross my mind that 'journalistic ethics' is an oxymoron..

    Wellington • Since Jul 2008 • 830 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    These people are geniuses.

    Ae. Taonga.

    And Antonia Prebble just owned her scenes last night.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Kyle Matthews,

    His point about us having no effective navy to protect "our" trade shipping made we wonder... How many NZ flagged shipping lines still exist?

    How many of the few ships that we have need protecting? Are there pirates in NZ waters that I don't know about?

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso,

    Are there pirates in NZ waters that I don't know about?

    There aren't - which is proof of what a great job our navy is doing.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • Dave Howell,

    How many of the few ships that we have need protecting?

    I took him to be talking about protecting our ability to move goods rather than ships per se. And he has a point in that as a remote nation surviving by selling people stuff they can get from closer to home if they need it, our economy would tank pretty quick in the sort of dispute between the big boys that resulted in people interdicting shipping lanes. It wouldn't take a lot of risk before Maersk decided calling in at NZ wasn't worth it.

    On the other hand, he seems to have failed to notice that if the nations big enough to shut down the Pacific were pissed enough with each other to be actually doing so, the economy would be the least of our worries and we'd be thanking our lucky stars to be sitting on a food surplus in the opposite hemisphere from the upcoming nuclear winter.

    Auckland • Since Jun 2008 • 16 posts Report Reply

  • Sylvie Zlami,

    I was waiting for the new OF season with bated breath.
    Loved the trailers too btw. The still that isn't actually a still ... what an exquisite tease that was.

    Gotta love outrageously fortunate Tuesdays.

    auckland • Since Dec 2007 • 31 posts Report Reply

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