Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: The back of a bloody envelope

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  • BenWilson,

    Any brownie points someone might win for being a "maverick" are immediately lost when Pappa Key gives his blessing

    They are with me and you, but maybe not for people who aren't already inclined to distrust National. Then they only thing they can say against Kaye personally is "She didn't try hard enough" or "She didn't wield enough influence". Which could actually be a reason to push her higher into the inner Nat circles. I'm trying to see things from the other perspective here, sometimes it helps.

    There is also the possibility that Kaye and Banks are actually quite genuine on this matter. Radical, crazy talk. But it happens. I distinctly remember hearing Winston Peters speak at University, singing the praises of all the things that National was going to do if/when they got in. I admired his nerve, he had to deal with an extremely hostile and vocal crowd yelling at him about what a fool he was, that his party had no history of doing anything he was saying, that he was a puppet, etc. Within a year he had defected from National. A fool and a puppet he may have been, but I think at some level he was genuinely dismayed by what his party turned out to be really planning to do.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • Kumara Republic,

    Priceless. Hat-tip to the Economist.

    In February, the government revealed it was considering opening some of the country’s pristine public land up for mining—an activity to which the dwarves in “The Hobbit” are much given, but which is not popular with more elvish sensibilities.

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

  • BenWilson,

    I'd rather have a government that didn't propose stupid initiatives in the first place.

    Of course. My reason for not voting for them. I'm just saying that I feel that there's something different about a National that floats stupid balloons than one that just forges ahead with what's written on the balloons. It's far less scary, and a sign of the enormous impact the Clark years had on our political landscape.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • Ian Dalziel,

    meanwhile back at the kohl face...

    it is time for the country to find itself a more sustainable brand, and soon."
    Humiliating, and its the truth :(

    instant win-win solution:
    subterranean brothels!
    advertised internationally as:
    "Come dig New Zealand
    have sex with a miner"

    that should get them in...
    (note to National tourism minister
    - this is a satirical comment!)

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report Reply

  • nz native,

    Our two alternating forms of government are quite easy to understand.

    We have Labor .................. who are bad and rotten.

    And we have the natianals ......................... who are plain evil.

    Politics in New Zealand works on the principle of " its our turn now", the two main partys know that if they are in opposition all they have to do is wait and as sure as night follows day they will get their turn to govern.

    While in opposition they will bullshit about things like accountability and abuses of democracy while all the time relying on electoral Alzheimers which is a progressive disease with strong symptoms after 6 years and is always terminal ( for the sitting govt ) after 9 years.

    Once in power the Govt gets their turn to thank and pass laws for their supporters, appoint party faithful ( hacks ) onto various boards and dish out jobs, money and favors.

    Teflon John the greedy one with his pin stripe suit and wormy smile has been very successful in not having much shit stick to him ...................yet.

    When it does start to stick we'll see him as one of the most effluent prime ministers this country has ever produced.

    Since May 2007 • 60 posts Report Reply

  • Steve Barnes,

    I can see the scene now...
    Nicky Kaye skips merrily down Ponsonby road, singing back to the Bluebirds and Unicorns as an ominous black car pulls alongside her at walking pace, the number plate reads "GOONZ"
    "Hi Nicky" a gruff voice calls from the car.
    "John wants to have a little chat, step in the car"
    Heart pounding she flutters her lashes as she imagines the romantic encounter of her dreams.
    But wait, her mind flashes back to that intimate press conference earlier that day and , with horror, she remembers that little slip of the tongue "Fuck that, no bastards gonna turn my beloved great Barrier Island into a slag heap" she had demurred.
    Gingerly she stepped into the car, John was there, smiling, but the smile was that of an assassin.
    "Nicky honey, how sweet to see you" his voice was like syrup dripping from the lips of a ravenous treacle glutton.
    "Have you been talking out of school my precious?... have we been overstepping our station"
    All this talk of lollies and vague references to trains had her sweating like a rugby player on P.
    "What do you mean kind Sir?" she raised her eyebrow in mock surprise, it was like a caterpillar writhing on her forehead.
    "You had, let's see... an opinion, I'm uncomfortable with that, let's say I am not relaxed"
    "But Sir, I just..."
    "Just said what we were discussing the other day?"
    "Well, no. I said we hadn't discussed..."
    "Who do you think you are? who do you think they, those peasants, will believe? HUH?"
    "But Sir..."
    "From now on you only speak when speaked too, OK?... and you tell 'em I knew about it, see?"
    "Yes John... I mean Sir"
    "Now get out of my car and out of my sight" he looked away, as if thinking, out of the window at the swinging voters of Ponsonby.
    Nicky stepped out of the car and into the latte sipping crowd.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report Reply

  • Kyle Matthews,

    I tend to think this is a political gesture that doesn't change the (already harsh) reality very much. Bennett's claim that the measures will "break the cycle of welfare dependency" was difficult to credit.

    I too was underwhelmed by the changes, though I guess that's a good thing. I didn't see it as the fascist crackdown that some people have been calling it.

    I also don't see the benefit in having National MPs deliberately speak out against government policy on the PM's OK.

    It's not an unusual political compromise. The government has the numbers to pass it, so some managed dissension isn't the end of the world. It allows you to structure your dissent so you don't get people crossing the floor and bringing down governments a la Marilyn Wearing. Keeps her happy without hurting the government, and will probably help the electorate vote in Auckland central, which they sure as hell want to win next election.

    Then there is also this pearler that was indeed extremely funny to watch.

    I found the whole episode embarassing. If that's the best thing Labour has to do with their time, and the time of the other MPs in parliament, they're really on the wrong track. A plague on both their houses.

    It won't be New Zealand, 99.99999% of the money will go overseas.

    I think you need to go back to what Keith posted about this:

    To be fair, from what I can tell, 80% of mining firms are majority NZ-owned. That's not to say that new entrants into the market will also be NZ-owned, but the characterisation of mining companies as evil multinationals is unfounded. If they are evil, they're locally-owned evil.

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report Reply

  • Andre Alessi,

    When it does start to stick we'll see him as one of the most effluent prime ministers this country has ever produced.

    I'm not sure if that pun was intentional.

    Devonport, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 864 posts Report Reply

  • 3410,

    Note that Key said that such dissention was acceptable because it was about an issue that "specifically" involved Kaye's electorate. The impression given was that dissent about national issues may not be so easily tolerated.

    Auckland • Since Jan 2007 • 2618 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    And before you snap back, I should note that the aversion therapy thing goes both ways; blind adherance to some mythical left wing idea is just as bad as blind adherance to a money trader.

    So's playing Six Degrees of Condescending D-Bag because you don't happen to approve of the way a total stranger happened to vote. Of course, anyone who doesn't agree with you must be stupid, if not out right EVIL.

    Don't like it at Kiwiblog, don't like it here.

    And if you want to get all bipartisan Biblical plague-y can I offer this. I reserve the right to bitch our Parliament as a giant sheltered workshop for the mad, bad and blitheringly incompetent. But at least we put our corrupt MPs in prison. The only argument against hanging Butterfill and Byers is that it would be a waste of perfectly good rope.

    Note that Key said that such dissention was acceptable because it was about an issue that "specifically" involved Kaye's electorate. The impression given was that dissent about national issues may not be so easily tolerated.

    Could Key say anything that wouldn't have something about the night for you?

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

  • 3410,

    Of course, anyone who doesn't agree with you must be stupid, if not out right EVIL.

    Hey, just because you think someone is stupid or evil, doesn't mean that it's necessarily because they disagree with you.

    Auckland • Since Jan 2007 • 2618 posts Report Reply

  • recordari,

    Extraordinary. Still, maybe they are just better at catching people out.

    AUCKLAND • Since Dec 2009 • 2607 posts Report Reply

  • nz native,

    "I'm not sure if that pun was intentional."

    The four letter word which rhymes with Pit ( 2. a. An excavation for the removal of mineral deposits; a mine. b. The shaft of a mine) confirms the puns intention .....

    Since May 2007 • 60 posts Report Reply

  • Cecelia,

    Hibiscus Coast • Since Apr 2008 • 559 posts Report Reply

  • Tom Beard,

    No stupid policies ever get past a good suburban Auckland focus group...

    Though it has to be said that "suburban Auckland" is itself a pretty stupid policy.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1040 posts Report Reply

  • Bart Janssen,

    Robyn Malcolm. What she says

    "The National Government's draconian plans for our National Parks seem like something from another age..."

    She's wrong sadly. There is nothing anachronistic about greed. Every age has had people who were willing to sacrifice other people and the environment for their own benefit.

    What I still would like to know is exactly how the National Govt politicians are lining their own pockets as a result of this deal. Will it be a spot on the board of directors of some mining company? Or a consultancy? Hopefully someone will be able to expose it, but these er people are pretty good at hiding their tracks.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 4461 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    Think campaign contributions, Bart..

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • andrew llewellyn,

    @KevinHague: Key just said he could rule out open pit mining

    Yet they can be so easily recycled as landfills.

    Since Nov 2006 • 2075 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    Or subterranean cycle trails with a Lord o Rings theme

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    What I still would like to know is exactly how the National Govt politicians are lining their own pockets as a result of this deal. Will it be a spot on the board of directors of some mining company? Or a consultancy? Hopefully someone will be able to expose it, but these er people are pretty good at hiding their tracks.

    Cheese and crackers, Bart. And now we've passed into the second stage of WhaleOily Kiwiboggery: Those who disagree with me are not only stupid and evil, you're corrupt whores whose only interest in in lining your own pockets. What next: John Key's dead grandmother is running up one hell of an cell phone bill?

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

  • Sacha,

    Wasn't that Chris Carter's mum you were thinking of? :)

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • webweaver,

    What I still would like to know is exactly how the National Govt politicians are lining their own pockets as a result of this deal. Will it be a spot on the board of directors of some mining company? Or a consultancy? Hopefully someone will be able to expose it, but these er people are pretty good at hiding their tracks.

    I'm with Bart - because, from everything I've read about the back-of-the-envelope finger-in-the-wind calculations, they bear no resemblance to reality. At all.

    Put aside for a second the environmental costs and just focus on the financial benefits they're promoting. If, as a number of commentators are saying, these numbers are a) pretty much made up by a mining consultant, and b) don't add up however you look at them; then either the honourable members are really very stupid, taking these numbers as gospel with no reality checking and no supporting evidence - or they know these numbers are bullshit but are determined to try to sell them to the country anyway.

    In which case, what's in it for them?

    Or do they just get a perverse sense of enjoyment from watching all us greenies and hippies rising up in anger, as some commenters on Your Views certainly do. (Remind me not to read that shit, BTW)

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 332 posts Report Reply

  • webweaver,

    and on another note...

    I just watched the Parliament debate thingy online and was completely gobsmacked by the "Conservation" minister's little rant. Oh my God, if she's in charge of conservation then our natural environment is well and truly fucked. In a supreme moment of irony she began by blaming Labour for "damaging our 100% Pure image around the world" by complaining too loudly about the government's plans to mine in our National Parks. Unfuckingbelievable.

    I went and donated $100 to Forest and Bird's anti-mining campaign before she was halfway through.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 332 posts Report Reply

  • Tom Beard,

    In which case, what's in it for them?

    It's certainly wise to scrutinise any potential for direct financial gain, but really, it's not required as a justification. Even if "they" aren't making a single gold coin out of it, Their Sort of People are, and that's what matters. To hell with the public accounts: as long as rich people are getting richer and the minerals aren't lying around being economically useless, it's a good thing.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1040 posts Report Reply

  • Tom Beard,

    completely gobsmacked by the "Conservation" minister's little rant.

    You know, once of the things I thought when the proposal was announced was "Oh that's right, we do have a conservation minister!" It's easy to think that we just have a Minister for Mining, a Minister for Motorways and a whole lot of Ministers for Kneejerk Populist Idiocy.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1040 posts Report Reply

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