Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: If you can't say something nice ...

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  • Joe Wylie,

    In her role as a Labour Minister of Consumer affairs Tizard had a duty to prepare legislation to protect the vulnerable, particularly from the activities of loan sharks. She showed little interest in doing so. For this reason alone I believe that it's a good thing that she's no longer a Minister. I only wish that those of her present defenders who had her ear on the things that mattered had made some attempt to persuade her to relinquish a portfolio that seemed beyond her competence. If that qualifies as bile Russell then OK, guilty as charged.

    flat earth • Since Jan 2007 • 4593 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    Tom & Craig: get a room. ("If you can't say something nice ..." - it's the title of the freaking post...)

    Yeah, quite. That was the intent.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Gareth Ward,

    Kyle, civil unions aren't just for teh gays you know... :>

    Re Tizard/Kaye - I'm not sure that the voting pattern was specifically about anti-Tizard (seriously, how many people really follow every actions of their sitting MP so as to be able to form a view on their performance?). The tides of change (both "to National" and in general), and a changing electorate that I suspect would have, on average, dragged it to be wealthier and younger just favoured Kaye...

    Auckland, NZ • Since Mar 2007 • 1727 posts Report Reply

  • Julie Fairey,

    I've always found Tizard pleasant enough, and certainly she very kindly offered to babysit my son just yesterday. I think Russell's post is a pretty balanced account of Judith's pros and cons, as he does point out that she was probably not best suited to be a senior Minister.

    In terms of whether she should go back into the House if she does get in on specials, my personal opinion is that she should probably decline. She'd be expected to stand down at some point during the term, or at the next election, anyway, and it seems likely that many within Labour would want to put a new candidate into Auckland Central in 2011 to try to recapture the seat. They'll want to start that work now really, I imagine.

    Politics is cruel sometimes, and sometimes we make it crueller with the way we treat people. Thanks for the timely reminder Russell.

    Puketapapa Mt Roskill, AK… • Since Dec 2007 • 234 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    If that qualifies as bile Russell then OK, guilty as charged.

    No, it's criticism of a minister's approach to policy, and not in the vein of vitriol I was referring to. I do still think Judith Tizard's networking abilities are underrated. But I did say I wasn't making a political argument, so ...

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    In terms of whether she should go back into the House if she does get in on specials, my personal opinion is that she should probably decline.

    I haven't asked her, but I suspect she will do just that.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Josh Addison,

    Kyle, civil unions aren't just for teh gays you know...

    Um, yeah - they're also for us heterosexual liberal atheists, too.

    Onehunga, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 298 posts Report Reply

  • James Green,

    I'd just like to say in Pete Hodgson's defence (seeing as it is Say Something Nice Day) that my colleague has regularly let him loose on a room full of our students, to talk to them about the health system. He did this as Minister of Health, and then last year as the former minister/our electorate MP. I sat in on the session each year, and found him very easy to chat with before and after the talk. It was very much a Q & A section, and he seemed amiable, funny, knowledgeable and tolerant of people critical of the government's position.

    Limerick, Ireland • Since Nov 2006 • 703 posts Report Reply

  • Matthew Littlewood,

    I'd just like to say in Pete Hodgson's defence (seeing as it is Say Something Nice Day) that my colleague has regularly let him loose on a room full of our students, to talk to them about the health system. He did this as Minister of Health, and then last year as the former minister/our electorate MP. I sat in on the session each year, and found him very easy to chat with before and after the talk. It was very much a Q & A section, and he seemed amiable, funny, knowledgeable and tolerant of people critical of the government's position.

    Oh yeah. And one thing I've been really impressed with was, given his sheer mountain of duties, how (relatively) approachable he was. You used to see him around Uni campus all the time, and he was good to student media, too. Okay, part of this was to keep his face out there, but to give him his due, he didn't shirk those duties.

    I also remember him giving a really great speech at a Science Awards I attended at School which endeared him to me, partly because he got the tone absolutely right for the audience.

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

  • LegBreak,

    Kyle, civil unions aren't just for teh gays you know...

    And I’m picking that’s a point made in JT’s political MC speech?

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1162 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    The tides of change (both "to National" and in general), and a changing electorate that I suspect would have, on average, dragged it to be wealthier and younger just favoured Kaye...

    I think the key to Auckland Central is actually the vote that didn't turn out.

    Judith's total was about 5000 down on 2005, but the votes didn't go to her rival.

    For all her good work, Nikki Kaye got only about 100 more votes than Pansy Wong did in 2005, which was enough for an election-night majority of 1181.

    The Green candidate, Denise Roche, was reportedly in tears on Saturday night about the 3695 electorate votes she received when she was only campaigning for the party vote.

    The turnout this year was 28,185 (plus special votes) compared to 36,277 in 2005. Apparently about 10,000 people on the roll, mostly in the CBD, didn't vote.

    I think a fresh Labour candidate would have a rather good chance in the electorate in 2011.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Joe Wylie,

    But I did say I wasn't making a political argument, so ...

    So, uh, right, have a nice day Judith.

    flat earth • Since Jan 2007 • 4593 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    I'd just like to say in Pete Hodgson's defence (seeing as it is Say Something Nice Day) that my colleague has regularly let him loose on a room full of our students, to talk to them about the health system.

    It was just a joke, but fair enough. I think the last time I saw him was when he spoke at the Telecommunications Summit; a performance so poor that people wondered if he was in fact ill.

    And I suppose I'm somewhat influenced by having interviewed him in the 1990s for Planet magazine, when he was extremely patronising.

    Which makes me think: I found an interview for Planet with Philip Field dispiriting because he seemed arrogant and dismissive.

    And the two interviews I did with Clark (before and after she took the leadership) were both frank, enjoyable and intelligent.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso,

    The Green candidate, Denise Roche, was reportedly in tears on Saturday night about the 3695 electorate votes she received when she was only campaigning for the party vote.

    Well, that's bizarre. Is there any truth to what I've been reading in the past few days that Tizard claimed that Roche had endorsed her, when she had in fact done no such thing? If that story is true, it seemed to me she deserved to lose. And if Roche was crying over a seat lost by the centre-left, then why didn't she endorse Tizard?

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • Gareth Ward,

    I think the key to Auckland Central is actually the vote that didn't turn out.

    I guess that boils down to "was the lower turnout proportionally representative, or was it a specific block that didn't show up". Hard to tell really...

    Certainly agree that a fresher Labour face currently has strong potential there for 2011 (with the caveat that plenty changes in three years).

    Auckland, NZ • Since Mar 2007 • 1727 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Tom & Craig: get a room. ("If you can't say something nice ..." - it's the title of the freaking post...)

    Nah... I'm happy to move on, because Tom always does a really splendid job of making my point for me as it takes so little to bring out his nasty side. While it's Gratuitous Acts of Niceness Day, folks like Tom and R. Baiter do do wonders for keeping my heart rate up. :)

    Kyle, civil unions aren't just for teh gays you know...

    I think Kyle was getting at the way you can't legally refer to your CUPcake as your "wife" or "husband", because that's only for civil marriage. Which definitely isn't for teh gayz and lezzers. But since I'm starting to chill out, better not throw a petrol tanker on that particular fire. There will be other times and other places to relitigate that one.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Gareth Ward,

    ou can't legally refer to your CUPcake as your "wife" or "husband"

    Whilst I'm trying to keep the petrol at bay... Good lord, really? That's... awful.

    Auckland, NZ • Since Mar 2007 • 1727 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso,

    Nah... I'm happy to move on, because Tom always does a really splendid job of making my point for me as it takes so little to bring out his nasty side.

    Way to move on, Craig!

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • Mikaere Curtis,

    The Green candidate, Denise Roche, was reportedly in tears on Saturday night about the 3695 electorate votes she received when she was only campaigning for the party vote.

    It's certainly one of the risks when standing in a non-safe seat. We were lucky in the Maori seats, our candidate votes did not factor in Ikaroa-Rawhiti, and even though our candidate got lots of votes, the Maori Party still won Te Tai Tonga.

    I also note that the vote to the Green candidate in Ohariu got more votes than the gap between Labour's candidate and Peter Dunne. I'd be up for standing no candidate there if it meant we would finally be done with Dunne.

    a fresh Labour candidate would have a rather good chance in the electorate in 2011.

    Quite. As one of my friends put it, she's not best pleased to be suddenly living in Blue Lynn.

    Tamaki Makaurau • Since Nov 2006 • 528 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    Politics is cruel sometimes, and sometimes we make it crueller with the way we treat people. Thanks for the timely reminder Russell.

    I've been guilty of forgetting the humanity of the people who work in the political process at times. There are certainly a few mad or bad people in politics, but many more who are working hard in all good faith.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    I think Kyle was getting at the way you can't legally refer to your CUPcake as your "wife" or "husband", because that's only for civil marriage. Which definitely isn't for teh gayz and lezzers.

    I take the view that this is one of those things that will simply be brought about by custom. Nearly everyone already refers to civil union ceremonies as "weddings" anyway.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Williams,

    Russell, thanks for your compliments of Judith. If nothing else, she deserves a public defence.

    But more than this, I agree with your assessment that Judith was an important contributor to Labour because of her enviable networking skills. I was briefly on the campaign trail with Helen (in Rimutaka) last week and was reminded what a force of nature she is, but she doesn't have the easy touch Judith does. That Clark recognised Judith's talents and her connections to particular communities is really no different to Clark's recognition of Winnie Laban's unique social network and cultural-skill set.

    Also, I had some great dealings with her, albeit some years ago, while in the Labour Research Unit. Judith and Ruth Dyson particularly were always genuinely encouraging and thankful to the researchers in a way that not all other members were. For instance, Ross Robertson seemed incapable of remembering anyone's name despite being equally incapable of operating independently.

    I'm sorry Auckland Central's gone National and don't begrudge Nicki Kaye, although I hope that Labour can win it back in '11.

    Sydney • Since Nov 2006 • 2273 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    In terms of whether she should go back into the House if she does get in on specials, my personal opinion is that she should probably decline.

    I haven't asked her, but I suspect she will do just that.

    Well, if her health is really as bad as RB said, what possible motive would she save to stay? One of the saddest things I ever read was an interview with David Lange when he said he'd have left Parliament a term earlier than he did for health reasons, but he was afraid of leaving his family destitute. Even as a backbencher, that life is too damn hard to just be doing it for the money.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Rich of Observationz,

    Does anyone think we should have STV for constituencies (as well as MMP, not instead of)?

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

  • giovanni tiso,

    Does anyone think we should have STV for constituencies

    Oh please dear God no!

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

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