Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Metiria's Problem

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  • izogi, in reply to Sacha,

    There's an interesting tendency for some in Labour to regard left-leaning voters as theirs by divine right, to be 'stolen' by other parties.

    In Ohariu last year I remember people being distraught that all those Tane Woodley (G) voters hadn't voted for Anderson (L) and kicked Dunne out, but there's arrogance in presuming that others should think like you just because they dislike someone you also dislike. It's not like some National supporters don't do it too, though. It's just less of an issue presently because National seems to be the only significant party in that region. ACT and UF are both, more or less, National's puppet parties who exist at National's pleasure for the purpose of cheating proportional outcomes towards the "right" result (to which National is entitled)... or at least that's the narrative.

    But as soon as it looks as if either large centre party might need to negotiate with a smaller party, the whole thing becomes about the tail wagging the dog. "How DARE a smaller party be allowed to influence the entity that's most entitled, by right, to govern!! Greens should stick to the niche of environmental policy!! They should all be relieved that we speak to them at all, but instead they're trying to dictate what we do."

    Wellington • Since Jan 2007 • 1142 posts Report Reply

  • dave stewart,

    This whole shemozzle may be a blessing in disguise: TOP might now pick up just enough extra votes (than it otherwise would have) to get to that all important 5%, and save TOP votes from being wasted votes. My biggest worry about this election is that a whole lot of TOP votes will probably just get flushed down the toilet - which would advantage the incumbents more than the line up for change? Although just like NZF, TOP could swing either way? Complicated!

    Since Aug 2014 • 37 posts Report Reply

  • izogi, in reply to dave stewart,

    a whole lot of TOP votes will probably just get flushed down the toilet - which would advantage the incumbents more than the line up for change?

    Would it necessarily? Lost votes, sure, but advantaging the incumbents? I've seen assumptions that TOP's getting so much support from traditional Green voters but I know at least one steady National advocate who's now seriously considering switching to TOP, and I've wondered how many others there might be. In that case I guess it depends on why a former National voter was voting that way previously, and I bet there are any number of complex reasons for people voting as they do.

    Wellington • Since Jan 2007 • 1142 posts Report Reply

  • Tom Semmens, in reply to Sacha,

    This Greens policy announcement being over-personalised is not good politics, and it would certainly have cost Labour some votes on both edges but I doubt that was some cunning dastardly intent. More of a cock-up.

    Oh come now, you surely don't believe that? The timing, the content and the target made the intent unmistakeable.

    I don't think Labour has a God given right to the votes of the left, but that wasn't my point. My point was the Greens made a power play - one that involved trying to shiv Labour, there supposed political ally - and it has backfired on them. The Greens assaulted their gaoler and got a baton across the face for their troubles, but they are behaving as if they are victims of the brutality of the system.

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

  • andin, in reply to Tom Semmens,

    Far too many analogies going on there.
    People can be brutal. And whats the constituent parts of the system you speak of?

    raglan • Since Mar 2007 • 1891 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Tom Semmens,

    trying to shiv Labour

    Please provide any evidence beyond your reckons that this was their intent.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Ian Dalziel, in reply to Tom Semmens,

    The Greens assaulted their gaoler and got a baton across the face for their troubles,

    Some very meta Metiria metaphor-play going on here…

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Young, in reply to Katharine Moody,

    Excellent, Katharine! Thank you. Locked and loaded in the general direction of Facebook media outlet pages.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 573 posts Report Reply

  • izogi,

    The story goes on: Campbell on Checkpoint this evening, just now at 5.08pm, announces that Metiria Turei has resigned. She's removing herself from the list. (This must be really new because I don't see it even reported as breaking news on Stuff. Only just breaking news on the Herald.)

    According to Campbell, this supposedly came after they approached her for comment on an anonymous allegation from someone claiming to have known her whilst on the DPB, who was claiming that she had much more support than claimed... or something like that. Maybe she was going to do resign without that approach anyway.

    Campbell has an interview/statement with her that's playing now.

    Wellington • Since Jan 2007 • 1142 posts Report Reply

  • Tom Semmens, in reply to izogi,

    I hope she stays in parliament, we need her story - and you shouldn't let the pricks win.

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

  • izogi, in reply to Tom Semmens,

    She told Campbell that she's removing herself from the list. She's remaining an electorate candidate, but presumably only to do the campaigning and it'd be unlikely for her to win.

    Campbell's interview is still going. He's giving her plenty of room to talk.

    Wellington • Since Jan 2007 • 1142 posts Report Reply

  • Alfie, in reply to Tom Semmens,

    I hope she stays in parliament

    Too late. Metiria has just told John Campbell that she's taking her name off the list and resigning from Parliament.

    A very good person gone. For all the wrong reasons. Bugger!

    Dunedin • Since May 2014 • 1440 posts Report Reply

  • Trevor Nicholls,

    When it appears that you have cheated the system at the margins, you should be destroyed. But when you cheat the system from the heart of it, you should be promoted. That's the National/ACT economy for you.

    Wellington, NZ • Since Nov 2006 • 325 posts Report Reply

  • Walter Nicholls,

    14 Green MPs sitting in the house (x3)
    and if one Green MP should put a foot in mouth
    there'll be 11 green MPs...

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Jul 2008 • 42 posts Report Reply

  • linger,

    It's bloody frustrating to watch; a performance worthy of the People's Front of Judea.

    Tokyo • Since Apr 2007 • 1944 posts Report Reply

  • Adam H, in reply to Craig Young,

    How about something like $40 million a day lost to various forms of tax dodging? I do wonder if the reaction would have been the same if she'd said she'd done a few cashies to feed the baby while she was a student or suchlike.

    But for me it's simple - the machine would have let this lie if she hadn't raised it herself, just a tragic error of judgment.

    Auckland • Since Oct 2014 • 27 posts Report Reply

  • Katharine Moody, in reply to Alfie,

    A very good person gone. For all the wrong reasons. Bugger!

    I'm speechless. More or less demonstrates in the ugliest of ways, just how good NZ society at large is at the successful persecution of the poor.

    Wellington • Since Sep 2014 • 798 posts Report Reply

  • Trevor Nicholls,

    I believe somebody once said that before you could change the government you would have to change the opposition. A bit more time to recover would have been nice though.

    Wellington, NZ • Since Nov 2006 • 325 posts Report Reply

  • Tom Semmens, in reply to Trevor Nicholls,

    When it appears that you have cheated the system at the margins, you should be destroyed. But when you cheat the system from the heart of it, you should be promoted. That’s the National/ACT economy for you.

    That's class war for you.

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

  • Tom Semmens,

    On the other hand, tonight's poll is music to the ears of Labour voters.

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

  • tussock,

    So, Bill English gets a government subsidy to rent his own fucking house, and we slap a coat of paint on that law to make it go away and now he's Prime Minister without anyone even getting to vote on it.

    Because that was a very confusing law about how you hide your assets in trusts to avoid taxes and get extra government payouts.

    But I guess he is a rich old white man to be revered, and not a poor young brown woman to be ousted, and it's not like any single mums were hiding their spare houses in trusts under the name of their spouse, so it's not even comparable.

    This country really gives me the shits sometimes. So deeply fucking corrupt and what does the media go after but those at the bottom of the heap.

    Since Nov 2006 • 611 posts Report Reply

  • Neil,

    It was the tone of her explanations that troubled me.

    And her explanation of why she resigned - to protect her whanau - might be even more troubling if it does turn out members of her whanau had a different version of what went on to her.

    And Shaw is now left having rejected the advice of two of MPs - forcing them into exile - when they were right. His judgement was poor to say the least.

    Since Nov 2016 • 382 posts Report Reply

  • andin, in reply to ,

    victim shit.

    Does it offend your delicate sensibilities?
    I fear the crowing will get louder
    Oh has already

    raglan • Since Mar 2007 • 1891 posts Report Reply

  • Moz, in reply to Neil,

    Shaw is now left having rejected the advice of two of MPs - forcing them into exile - when they were right

    I see it more as Shaw reacted to an ultimatum from a couple of whiners by saying "sure, take your bat and ball" and they did. They were only right if they knew then what we might learn tomorrow about why exactly she resigned. But unless they told Shaw that then , they were just being whiners.

    I prefer to decide my vote on political reasons. This whole "Maori woman confesses to breaking the law 20 years ago, forced to resign. White man caught breaking the law last year, promoted to PM" thing sticks in my craw.

    Sydney, West Island • Since Nov 2006 • 1233 posts Report Reply

  • Rich of Observationz,

    Well, that's one vote the Greens just lost

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

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