Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: No Surprises

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  • Carol Stewart,

    Call me naive, but I was surprised.
    Rodney resigning if Maori seats were included? Win-win!

    Wellington • Since Jul 2008 • 830 posts Report Reply

  • Ian MacKay,

    Hide is far too wily to have threatened to resign without knowing the outcome. It is a bit like knowing today what the weather will be yesterday. The Maori Party was on a Hide-ing to nothing. We got both.

    Bleheim • Since Nov 2006 • 498 posts Report Reply

  • Grant McDougall,

    Very few Maori vote for National or ACT anyway, so the gov't can afford to get away with this, without losing any of their voting base. That's the harsh reality of it.

    Dunedin • Since Dec 2006 • 760 posts Report Reply

  • simon g,

    Carol - you're naive. ;)

    But understandably so. Key's appeal is to our better natures, to the need to believe. As with all sales patter, we learn from bitter experience that we are purchasing the product, not the salesman. There's no refund on his smile.

    "Sure, I'm relaxed about that, we can have a look at that, I've always said I'm ready to listen, we're working our way through that, look, I take that on board ..."

    ... means absolutely nothing. At all.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1333 posts Report Reply

  • Mikaere Curtis,

    This is the money quote from the Herald:

    The Prime Minister has chosen the easiest and perhaps the most electorally advantageous course. In doing so, he has overlooked an inclusive approach that is in the best interests of the country.

    At my uncle's tangi at the weekend I met Tiipene Marr, a councillor for a Maori constituency on Environment Bay of Plenty (one of two local government bodies with specific Maori seats, the other being Gisborne). He said that when he first joined the council a few years ago, he asked the other councillors to indicate if they had ever been on a marae. Only two had.

    This is what we are dealing with - critically out of touch Pakeha institutions. In Auckland's case, historically less that 1% of councillors have been Maori. When faced with an opportunity to choose an option that enjoys significant community support (in addition to the Royal Commission), National's reaction is to pre-empt the Maori seats sub-select committee and implement a broken colonial model.

    Has anyone else noticed that Key's circular argument: We can't implement Maori seats in Auckland because we'd need to do it for the rest of the country and we don't want to do it for the rest of the country is suspiciously similar to Rodney Hide's cop out over Twyford's bill to prevent Auckland local body asset sale without an enabling referendum ?

    Tamaki Makaurau • Since Nov 2006 • 528 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Is anyone really surprised at the government’s decision on Maori seats for the Auckland Council?

    I was really surprised at Tainui (in the person of Tuku Morgan) toy chucking like Valerie Vili on steroids.

    Andy Williams holding his title as a reliably fatuous rentaquote, not so much... Though I had to laugh at him bitching Cabinet as a "cabal of white, middle-class men" akin to the regime in Fiji!. This from a man whose own Council is... well, somewhat monochromatic. I sure don't recall Williams campaigning on a platform of increasing diversity through reserved seats for Maori or any other minority.

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

  • Carol Stewart,

    Key's appeal is to our better natures

    You're right, SimonG.
    It'll be interesting to see how Key stands up to Family First & co post-referendum. That Larry Baldock is a nasty little man .. banging on about democracy whilst ignoring the fact that, er, he got voted out of Parliament.

    Wellington • Since Jul 2008 • 830 posts Report Reply

  • Luke Williamson,

    What pees me off is that having the Maori seats is always portrayed as a negative thing by Hide, Key et al. Basically because they don't see money in it. Something that makes NZ unique in the world is our (albeit tentative and paranoid) relationship with Maori and things Maori. The seats on a Greater Auckland Council are another wonderful opportunity to embrace what is good and creative and productive about Maoridom. As with the knee-jerk reaction we went through with the Foreshore and Seabed Act, this won't just go away - it is delayed until another day. The problem with having a usurer as a Prime Minister is that he has to have advisers to make up for his own lack of imagination and innovation. When the adviser is Rodney Hide, who has no purpose in life other than to demonstrate how f@*king stupid the majority of voters in Epsom are, then you are not going to make much progress on seats for Maori. I would be surprised if there are still no Maori seats by the time Greater Aucks gets to its second election but I'm always surprised when it comes to how narrow the view of this country's future is from our leading lights.

    Warkworth • Since Oct 2007 • 297 posts Report Reply

  • Carol Stewart,

    Hide seems to see Maori as being just another minority group like, say, Italians or Chinese. From today's DomPost:

    He [Hide] was concerned local government was dominated by 'old white males' and it should be more representative of all groups, not just Maori.

    Biculturalism seems to have passed him by. And he is kind of like the anti-Key in that he has no hesitation in appealing to people's baser instincts.

    Wellington • Since Jul 2008 • 830 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    The problem with having a usurer as a Prime Minister is that he has to have advisers to make up for his own lack of imagination and innovation.

    The problem with that particular sneer, Luke, is that it has some rather nasty anti-Semitic baggage attached. I'm certain you didn't intend to whistle for that dog, but let's keep the discourse a little more elevated than Kiwibog, shall we?

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

  • Whoops,

    Has anyone else noticed that Key's circular argument: We can't implement Maori seats in Auckland because we'd need to do it for the rest of the country and we don't want to do it for the rest of the country ...

    ...like the Maori seats in Parliament? Next on the to do list...

    here • Since Apr 2007 • 105 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    Oh, hey -- I promised I'd mention the BNZ's Closed for Good project, which, on November 4, will see the bank close all its retail places and most of its support offices and send staff out into the community to work on projects nominated by members of the public. (Internet banking will stay open, as will a call centre.) About 5000 BNZ staff will be providing their labour to nominated projects on that day. You can find out more and propose a project at the Closed for Good website.

    As you were.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Gareth Ward,

    I'm not surprised, but more because this Govt never actually does anything to move the status quo. What major "ambitious" changes have they made since they've been in power with the landslide political capital to burn?
    I can think of... none?

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

  • BenWilson,

    The problem with that particular sneer, Luke, is that it has some rather nasty anti-Semitic baggage attached.

    Because all Jews are usurers and don't have imagination or innovation? Not the first thing that popped into my head, I must say. It was more "mmmm yessss, Bankers, boring buggers aren't they?".

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Because all Jews are usurers and don't have imagination or innovation?

    I'll assume you're teasing, Ben, and it's a very good one at that. :) I don't know about you, but "usurer" isn't a term I see in contemporary use very often outside the haunts of Jew-haters and the more drooly economic conspiracy nuts. And as an code word for the obsessive greed and untrustworthiness of Jews, 'usurer' has a very long and ugly history.

    But as I said, I'm sure Luke didn't intend a coded anti-Semtic slur on a man of Jewish descent, but he might want to think about the connotations next time he dips into the thesaurus.

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

  • Kumara Republic,

    Carol S:

    Hide seems to see Maori as being just another minority group like, say, Italians or Chinese. From today's DomPost:

    He [Hide] was concerned local government was dominated by 'old white males' and it should be more representative of all groups, not just Maori.

    Biculturalism seems to have passed him by. And he is kind of like the anti-Key in that he has no hesitation in appealing to people's baser instincts.

    At heart Hide is really a Model Minoritarian-ist - at the end of the day it's just a smokescreen for assimilationism and marginalisation. In the States, political reactionaries have invoked it as a handy excuse to undermine affirmative action programmes.

    On the other hand, the opposite end of the political spectrum is just as guilty of pursuing third-worldism for the same reasons.

    Personally, I think that where there's a vacuum of multiculturalism, Model Minoritarianism and Third-Worldism jostle over the scraps.

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

  • Kerry Weston,

    Take a moment - just imagine if Key had said "Maori seats on the Supercity Council? Fantastic idea! We need the fresh ideas, creative spirit and energies Maori can bring to the table - oh, and Maori can be in charge of Party Central too."

    Would the world really tilt off its axis?

    Manawatu • Since Jan 2008 • 494 posts Report Reply

  • Steve Barnes,

    Geez, Godwind by Craig on page one, no surprise there I suppose.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Still ignoring you, Steve.

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

  • Luke Williamson,

    Noted Craig. It was purely a "sneer" at his past as a currency dealer. I guess it does come with baggage and I have no idea about JKs heritage. I hope that the message in my post was a little more elevated in urging our political leaders to see the potential in Maori seats rather than the drawbacks.

    Warkworth • Since Oct 2007 • 297 posts Report Reply

  • Jeremy Eade,

    The whole announcement on the maori seats was played out so well that I can't help to think the participants were stagemanged.

    But what does Sharples get for his patience? Isn't this another nail in the coffin of partnership, isn't this still on (treaty) paper supposed to be a partnership between Maori and Crown.I'd of thought that would have been a line in the sand for the (a) Maori Party.


    And banks helping us out, guilt maybe.....how about just staying at work and just drop our recession squeezing interest rates on credit.....that's what the community needs.

    auckland • Since Mar 2008 • 1112 posts Report Reply

  • Phil Lyth,

    Open Government Bar Camp

    They've got the House Full sign us: dang, wish I'd heard about it sooner, would have been in boots and all. Must ask Glen and Nat how Official Information / Ombudsmen fit with their project, with it is central or just tangentially relevant.

    Wellington • Since Apr 2009 • 458 posts Report Reply

  • Luke Williamson,

    Kerry, that's what I was trying to say but I was too busy taking anti-semitic shots at JK and not staying on thread.

    Warkworth • Since Oct 2007 • 297 posts Report Reply

  • Steve Barnes,

    Still ignoring you, Steve.

    Obviously.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    But what does Sharples get for his patience? Isn't this another nail in the coffin of partnership,

    What the hell does that mean? Sounds about as silly as Rodders threatening to take his ball and go... somewhere if he doesn't get his own way. Seems to me that the Maori Party actually has a firmer grip on the realities of MMP (and not overplaying your reality-based mandate) than most of the commentariat.

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

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