Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Local Heroes?

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  • George Darroch,

    Yeah. They listened to weird bastard.

    Thanks for the link. I get the impression that a lot of New Zealand politicians, and quite a few would do well to listen to weird bastard's sucessors. There are an awful lot of people crying out for less regulation. We need smarter regulation, which will foster the best products and services, and do away with the worst.

    WLG • Since Nov 2006 • 2264 posts Report

  • Russell Brown,

    If you can't communicate your own policies properly when in power it's your own damn fault.

    Danyl, let me refer you to a post I wrote last September on these issues -- sparked by a Goff mea culpa pretty much exactly like the want you want Labour to utter now, which was, on the evidence, completely ineffective.

    You know, there was a normal communications policy associated with the energy efficiency standards for the bulbs, there were any number of precedents to look at -- including that of Australia, whose decision to phase out most incandescent bulbs (there was never a ban, just a minimum performance standard which actually included some incandscent bulbs) was what prompted the move here, because we wanted to stay in step with their regulations.

    Brownlee knew all this. But there was political mileage in pretending he didn't. Ditto for the privately-backed scare campaign around folate.

    Do you have any theories on why this kind of policy has been uncontroversial in other countries -- and yet allegedly brought down a government here?

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • BenWilson,

    Labour's path back to power is to pull National to pieces, and work really hard at well thought out and researched coherent policy. They need to turn into research machines, pulling apart everything that is seen as a strength of National's and really hammering it. They do seriously need credible economists going straight for the jugular of every utterance that National makes on the subject. They need to come across as really hard workers. The less it becomes about sweeping ideologies, and the more about specific goals and failures of National, the better their chances.This is how they were ousted themselves.

    They don't need to change what they stand for. I don't even think they need to rebrand substantially. They may need to lose Goff, though. Not that I know who else it should be, but to me he will always be the last of an old, old guard, a hangover from the Lange Govt.

    I doubt it's going to win them the next election, though. A government in NZ has to really fuck up to only get one term, and National have been doing this for too long to make that kind of mistake.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report

  • George Darroch,

    I do think that the core of the message - focus on the economic hardship, focus on the 75% of us who live on less than $30k - is a very good one. Refusing to be distracted by other things is not the same as apologising for them, or being ashamed of them. It simply means not engaging.

    WLG • Since Nov 2006 • 2264 posts Report

  • Matthew Poole,

    +1

    Auckland • Since Mar 2007 • 4097 posts Report

  • Martin Lindberg,

    Brownlee knew all this. But there was political mileage in pretending he didn't. Ditto for the privately-backed scare campaign around folate.

    You are right. Sorry to be cynical, but a proper communication strategy should have been prepared for a debate that would not be fair.

    Stockholm • Since Jul 2009 • 802 posts Report

  • George Darroch,

    Yeah, you would have thought that after years in government, Labour would have realised that the NZ media's default mode is report the controversy rather than the issue.

    WLG • Since Nov 2006 • 2264 posts Report

  • George Darroch,

    Unless of course they didn't forsee a controversy. Which is likely, because a strong cross-spectrum consensus in favour of action on environmental issues exists in Europe (much unlike "clean" "green" NZ), and Howard was trying to establish his environmental credentials at the tail end of a very severe drought widely linked in the public imagination to climate change.

    Looking abroad, you would have thought it a perfectly reasonable thing to do, that nobody but crazy nutters would oppose.

    WLG • Since Nov 2006 • 2264 posts Report

  • Kyle Matthews,

    Sorry to be cynical, but a proper communication strategy should have been prepared for a debate that would not be fair.

    I think the point is well made that Labour, and everyone else, can bitch as much as they want about the bum job the media is doing.

    If they want to win an election any time soon they have to do a better job at presenting themselves and their policies, and attacking the government.

    Seriously, we're nearly two years into National's term and Labour just a couple of months ago was still getting slammed for things it did while it was in govt. It's media management has been pretty bad for quite some time now.

    "Hey that's not fair!" ain't going to put them in power.

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report

  • Rich of Observationz,

    any theories on why this kind of
    policy has been uncontroversial in other
    countries - - and yet allegedly brought down a
    government here ?

    Larger quota of retards?

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report

  • giovanni tiso,

    Larger quota of retards?

    I really don't like the term "retard". At any rate I believe the technical phrase is "Kiwis who don't want to be told how to live their lives".

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report

  • George Darroch,

    Yeah, what Giovanni just said. I believe the traditional New Zealand translations for "treating people with mental disabilities with respect" are; "PC" and "nanny state".

    Can I have the decent society back sometime soon?

    WLG • Since Nov 2006 • 2264 posts Report

  • merc,

    "In due course it's all part of a roll-back of the nanny state and the 'Government should provide everything' mentality," he said.
    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10665405
    Search "Nanny State" on NZHerald, most revealing.

    Since Dec 2006 • 2471 posts Report

  • Kumara Republic,

    Seriously, we're nearly two years into National's term and Labour just a couple of months ago was still getting slammed for things it did while it was in govt. It's media management has been pretty bad for quite some time now.

    The departure of Mike Munro and Mark Watts I suspect had a lot to do with it.

    And the current lot in power continue to polish turds and put lipstick on pigs - and make it look possible.

    The less it becomes about sweeping ideologies, and the more about specific goals and failures of National, the better their chances.This is how they were ousted themselves.

    As the saying goes, oppositions don't win elections, governments lose them. But oppositions can set political boobytraps.

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

  • Ian Dalziel,

    Meaningless songs in very high voices...

    Can I have the decent society back sometime soon?

    sadly, it looks like we are stuck with the descent society for now, and with the current castrati in power best we can hope for is a descant society...

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report

  • Kumara Republic,

    sadly, it looks like we are stuck with the descent society for now, and with the current castrati in power best we can hope for is a descant society...

    "We would love to see wages drop."

    "Don't be jealous."

    Best viewed on a giant telescreen.

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

  • George Darroch,

    sadly, it looks like we are stuck with the descent society for now, and with the current castrati in power best we can hope for is a descant society...

    Wit of a desiccant sobriety.

    WLG • Since Nov 2006 • 2264 posts Report

  • Ian Dalziel,

    Wit of a desiccant sobriety.

    more of a dry white whine...

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report

  • George Darroch,

    Try as I might, I can't beat the wry wight.

    WLG • Since Nov 2006 • 2264 posts Report

  • George Darroch,

    Since I'm clogging the tubes, I might as well link to Danyl's brilliant latest effort. "Win Brian Easton" has to be the best touch there.

    WLG • Since Nov 2006 • 2264 posts Report

  • Sofie Bribiesca,

    Has anyone seen or posted this. Quite pertinent.

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

  • Matthew Poole,

    can't beat the wry wight

    From the link: "a creature or living sentient being".
    Assuming you're referring to the public that voted in the current government, I suspect "creature" rather than "sentient being" would be the more-apt of the definitions.

    Auckland • Since Mar 2007 • 4097 posts Report

  • BenWilson,

    Has anyone seen or posted this. Quite pertinent.

    Yes, and I don't think the timing issue of Chris Carter will be that important. This statistic will still be true next month, and the "brush off" is on record.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report

  • Ian Dalziel,

    wight flight...

    Assuming you're referring to the public that voted in the current government, I suspect "creature" rather than "sentient being" would be the more-apt of the definitions.

    I have wight defined as the more apt:
    [archaic or dialect] a person of a specified kind, esp. one regarded as unfortunate: "he always was an unlucky wight." which segues nicely into the more current usage described as: ...undead or wraith-like creatures: corpses with a part of their decayed soul still in residence, often draining life from their victims.

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report

  • recordari,

    Try as I might, I can't beat the wry wight.

    To-wit to-woo,
    the 'owling throng,
    all creatures great 'n' thrall

    The national obsession
    of Aussie progression
    A gap; a ditch; the gall!

    Assuming you're referring to the public that voted in the current government, I suspect "creature" rather than "sentient being" would be the more-apt of the definitions.

    Yes, 45% of voters in the last election were almost certainly lacking the capacity to feel or perceive. Wait, what?

    [Including myself, I might add. So if you could 'enlighten' me, I'd like to rise above the subclass of rock.]

    AUCKLAND • Since Dec 2009 • 2607 posts Report

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