Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Political Idol, or whatever you want to call it

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  • martinb,

    Well it's a better negotiating position than take our work rights, our public tv land and have a train station to deliver gamblers straight to the casino, and stuff the St James.

    Perhaps the Nats should look straight into a naming rights deal. SkyCity sums up the values of the era much as Weetbix or Marmite used to and is just as iconic.

    The SkyCity National Party would be win-win for both Party, Country and Company.

    Auckland • Since Jul 2010 • 206 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Sofie Bribiesca,

    Which is why I suggested that there are 3 distinct styles.

    Please do say how you see them.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Chris Waugh,

    I wanted to see more of "I'm the one for this job, and let me show you how".

    Like Cunliffe actually rallying a group of party supporters rather than talking about how he could, you mean? Saw how that went down with the Thorndon keyboard warriors..

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Chris Waugh, in reply to Sacha,

    Saw how that went down with the Thorndon keyboard warriors

    I did note that in that Native Affairs interview Cunliffe said he'd learned. What were his words? Something like "there's nothing like being kicked to the backbenches for 18 months to teach you to listen. Also, the new set-up means they have to rally supporters.

    Wellington • Since Jan 2007 • 2401 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Chris Waugh,

    The total tonal difference between his launch event and that Maori TV appearance should give some commentators pause.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • nzlemming, in reply to Sacha,

    The total tonal difference between his launch event and that Maori TV appearance should give some commentators pause.

    That different circumstances require different approaches? You don't have to be a politician to know that. Hell, I learned that from my grandmother.

    Waikanae • Since Nov 2006 • 2937 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to nzlemming,

    You'd think everyone got that, yes.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • George Darroch,

    It would be a given of such a government that Russel Norman would be its deputy leader.

    I don't take anything as given, actually. They'll look to make the Greens fight for a lot of things, so they can give some things while denying others. Positions of power will be rationed, and unless the Greens come close to getting half the Labour vote (unlikely, even for an optimist), deputy PM wouldn't be handed over without negotiation. Thankfully my party has rather robust processes and has had plenty of elections to consider this possibility.

    WLG • Since Nov 2006 • 2264 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson, in reply to George Darroch,

    Indeed, it's junior partner, no matter how you dice it. But it could be a very significant junior if it is required for the majority. This looks likely, if the left are to get in at all.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • Ben Austin,

    What is the Green Party's strategy to avoid the fate of many other minor parties in coalition? Obviously every minor party is different and the Greens are no Lib Dems or Alliance (sorta), but are they strong enough to survive the unpopularity of government?

    London • Since Nov 2006 • 1027 posts Report Reply

  • Caleb D'Anvers, in reply to Craig Ranapia,

    And that’s where Labour should start saying “fuckity-byes” to Cunliffe ... [gratuitous Sarah Palin analogy] ...

    STOP PRESS. Craig Ranapia inadvertently endorses David Cunliffe as potential Labour leader most likely to cause to serious headaches for National. :P

    London SE16 • Since Mar 2008 • 482 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Sacha,

    Like Cunliffe actually rallying a group of party supporters rather than talking about how he could, you mean? Saw how that went down with the Thorndon keyboard warriors..

    At the GCSB protest on Queen Street, Cunliffe was there early and visible, with a young electorate crew all in matching red t-shirts. They were smiling. He was the only MP I saw in the crowd, as opposed to on the mic. I think all that is greatly to his credit.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • George Darroch,

    And as if to illustrate things, here's Norman being very conciliatory on breakfast television over the leadership contest.

    What is the Green Party’s strategy to avoid the fate of many other minor parties in coalition? Obviously every minor party is different and the Greens are no Lib Dems or Alliance (sorta), but are they strong enough to survive the unpopularity of government?

    At the moment it's to gather the party together and work out the terms under which an arrangement would be acceptable, and the way in which the party could work with others after an election. Negotiations would occur, and then the result of those negotiations would be sent back to delegated representatives of the party for approval. An optimal agreement is unlikely, but given that any agreement would come from the party and not the leadership, the party is likely to feel bound. There'll be tension at points, without doubt.

    However, that's all procedural. The best hope is in building deep, respectful, and often warm relationships. That's when you get others treating you with humanity rather than as merely a lever for power, and when you get others realising that your occasional objections come from a real place and are not merely tantrums. Norman's niceness above is such an example - he could land punches, but it would do him and the party no good (though too deferential and you breed a different kind of relationship).

    WLG • Since Nov 2006 • 2264 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia, in reply to Caleb D'Anvers,

    STOP PRESS. Craig Ranapia inadvertently endorses David Cunliffe as potential Labour leader most likely to cause to serious headaches for National. :P

    SHOCK! HORROR! I always like the Opposition to be an effective check and balance on the Government of the day. I don't think Cunliffe would be an unspeakably offensive leader of the Labour Party; neither would Robertson. Both got their strengths and flaws, but who doesn't?

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

  • Sofie Bribiesca, in reply to Craig Ranapia,

    SHOCK! HORROR! I always like the Opposition to be an effective check and balance on the Government of the day. I don’t think Cunliffe would be an unspeakably offensive leader of the Labour Party; neither would Robertson. Both got their strengths and flaws, but who doesn’t?

    Perfectly put Craig. Have a nice day :)

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

  • Matthew Poole, in reply to Craig Ranapia,

    I always like the Opposition to be an effective check and balance on the Government of the day.

    Word. Particularly since I don't think you're thrilled about the current government's willingness to stomp all over procedural checks and conventional balances.

    Auckland • Since Mar 2007 • 4097 posts Report Reply

  • Kyle Matthews,

    Basically it comes down to this: do the people of NZ tell multinational companies what to do in our country, or do they tell us what to do? It would be nice to vote on that.

    I think the Sky City deal was appalling. But I'd be equally appalled if the next government reformed the gambling laws and didn't give Sky City compensation. Sky City are spending lots of money on building a convention centre in return for umpteen years of stupid gambling laws. This was agreed on by a democratically elected government and passed through parliament in a democratic manner. Stupid, but there you have it.

    If our government is going to renege on the deal, we should expect to have to pay. That's what happens when you go back on your word.

    Can you believe that the Maori are still allowed to employ Koreans to catch their fish instead of employing Maori youth for multiple years to come?

    I object to any response to about 150 years of colonialism, wresting land and other treasures from an indigenous peoples, which involves compensation and then telling them what to do with that compensation.

    If Maori have the same rights as everyone else, then they can do what they want with their money/land etc, as long as they follow the law and the rules of their own structures. If they want to employ Korean rather than Maori, that's up to them and their bed to lie in. No one gets to sit on the sideline and carry on telling them how to use their own assets any more. That's just more of the last couple of centuries.

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report Reply

  • Matthew Poole, in reply to Kyle Matthews,

    Sky City are spending lots of money on building a convention centre in return for umpteen years of stupid gambling laws

    And in return for their licence not being put up for public auction when it runs its term in 2021 or whenever it is. The returns from that auction may well have been vastly higher than the taxpayer money not spent on building a convention centre.

    As for compensation, I quite liked Russell summary of Cunliffe’s response: “Fuck’m”. They supped with the Key devil, and as a consequence they deserve to be left out in the cold when a government that actually believes in parliamentary sovereignty is next elected.

    Auckland • Since Mar 2007 • 4097 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson, in reply to Kyle Matthews,

    If our government is going to renege on the deal, we should expect to have to pay. That’s what happens when you go back on your word.

    It would be a better business practice not to go back on big corporate deals, if you want to make more of them in future. But that's really where the onus stops. If a government makes a stupid, stupid cripplingly expensive deal, and the next government decides to can it, I don't have a problem with that. It might teach the corporations not to be so greedy in future.

    Deals with governments are not like deals between private individuals operating under a rule of law. There is no world government to enforce anything on a government, so a deal with them has to always take that into account. It's fallacious to pretend this is not so, and that the government acts like a private citizen. It doesn't.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • Matthew Poole, in reply to BenWilson,

    It might teach the corporations not to be so greedy in future.

    Precisely. If the deal is only worth doing by way of an "unconstitutional" (inasmuch as such is possible in this country) attempt to bind future parliaments, the deal is probably not worth doing.

    Auckland • Since Mar 2007 • 4097 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Matthew Poole,

    Precisely. If the deal is only worth doing by way of an “unconstitutional” (inasmuch as such is possible in this country) attempt to bind future parliaments, the deal is probably not worth doing.

    It was also, as the deputy auditor-general's report noted, done via a deeply unsatisfactory process in which the successful party was given knowledge not available to other tenderers. It does quite quickly become difficult to feel sympathy for SkyCity.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to BenWilson,

    There is no world government to enforce anything on a government

    trade tribunals, sir..

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Ian Dalziel, in reply to Matthew Poole,

    in return for their licence not being put up for public auction when it runs its term in 2021 or whenever it is.

    ... of course there is no guarantees Sky City will last that long either, funny old business, gambling.
    Then what happens?

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson, in reply to Sacha,

    trade tribunals, sir..

    I see your tribunal, and raise you "shutting off diplomatic ties".

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson, in reply to Russell Brown,

    It does quite quickly become difficult to feel sympathy for SkyCity.

    It's difficult at the best of times.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

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