Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: The Creepy Party

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  • Samuel Scott,

    You know I like the Green party, but I'm not sure they look 'god'.

    OK sorry, dumb ass comment.

    South Wellington • Since Feb 2008 • 315 posts Report Reply

  • Danyl Mclauchlan,

    I assume the Act-aligned blogs are awash with blood and bile at the moment, although I'm not inclined to go looking.

    And that's the difference between you and me. They're mostly pretty quiet, with terse comments on the issue or nothing at all.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 927 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    You know I like the Green party, but I'm not sure they look 'god'.

    Heh.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • ScottY,

    Given the dysfunctional personalities within the ACT caucus, it continues to amaze me they’ve survived this long as a unit.

    Hide is now so utterly compromised as a leader I can’t see him winning Epsom next year.

    These nutjobs may be doing incalculable damage to our country, but at least they’re putting on a show for us. The 82 page document is an entertaining read, especially the Risks and Options section.

    West • Since Feb 2009 • 794 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    I've also heard unconfirmed goss that Wayne Mapp is seriously displeased (he doesn't do "batshit incandescent with rage") about being dragged into this -- and who would blame him? I know he doesn't have many fans around here, but while he's not one of the Government's "stars" he got the portfolio he really wanted and is making a decent fist of it. Doesn't need to have it dragged into ACT's slow motion murder-suicide.

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

  • Peter Heath,

    Yeah - and I'll tell you what I'm pissed off about, if I may. That the same media who were snarled at and stonewalled when asking the perfectly reasonable "Why" question, were later seemingly perfectly happy to trot along to the clearly stage-managed "Rodney's no bully" 'press conference' (note inverted commas). And report on the 'angle' they were being fed. Pussies (with a few honourable exceptions)!

    Here and there... • Since Aug 2010 • 2 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Peter Heath: I'm all for bitching the Press Gallery, but I can't say I've seen any coverage by anyone who was "perfectly happy" with that presser. "Farcical" was one of the more polite descriptions I read.

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

  • Russell Brown,

    Peter Heath: I'm all for bitching the Press Gallery, but I can't say I've seen any coverage by anyone who was "perfectly happy" with that presser. "Farcical" was one of the more polite descriptions I read.

    Hell yes. The Gallery journalists on Twitter weren't holding back about what they thought.

    Also, I genuinely sympathise with Wayne Mapp.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Rich of Observationz,

    One way the Green Party avoids this shit is through that funny idea called democracy. The co-leaders get elected by the members voting directly in branch meetings, the list by a postal ballot. (There is talk of using postal ballots for leadership as well).

    That kinda makes the MPs concentrate on constructive policy not personal bitchfights.

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

  • ScottY,

    Craig, I agree. I haven't read a kind thing anywhere in the press about ACT's handling of the media on this.

    West • Since Feb 2009 • 794 posts Report Reply

  • Grant McDougall,

    I now look forward to the next twelve months working cohesively to return up to 10 ACT MPs in 2011.

    Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha...Is there a large pig fluttering in the sky above your house as well ?

    Dunedin • Since Dec 2006 • 760 posts Report Reply

  • Peter Heath,

    Craig - they still went along, didn't they? And take another peek at the broadcast coverage, particularly. Dutifully regurgitating Heather Roy's "Rodney's really not as much of a bully as I thought he was yesterday" line. Without any kind of 'WTF?' in the reportage. Pfft!

    As I say - honourable exceptions. Especially as the story gets older and the analysis starts to tiptoe in. But at the time? I repeat - pussies!

    Here and there... • Since Aug 2010 • 2 posts Report Reply

  • Geoff Lealand,

    10 ACT MPs=a pigsty? To be honest, there is great sport (and some glee) to see ACT in such strife--tempered with the realisation that they have been granted completely undeserved political power.

    Great show last night, Russell. My students really enjoyed themselves--especially those who were in the control room.

    Screen & Media Studies, U… • Since Oct 2007 • 2562 posts Report Reply

  • ScottY,

    Another difference between ACT and the Greens is that, if you belong to a party that cherishes the natural environment we live in, you’re probably going to actually care about other organisms.

    The libertarian emphasis within ACT on the rights of the individual, on the other hand, seems more like a cult of selfishness.

    West • Since Feb 2009 • 794 posts Report Reply

  • Bart Janssen,

    [Wayne Mapp] got the portfolio he really wanted and is making a decent fist of it.

    He also got the science portfolio which came as a surprise I understand. Kinda hard for him to get up to speed on science when all he'd prepared for was defense.

    As for ACT vs Greens. Well yes the greens are much more polite but it doesn't stop some of their stuff being as batshit crazy as ACT's.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 4461 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Craig - they still went along, didn't they?

    Yes - but it had actual news value. As opposed to last night's Three News fellatio-anilungus fiesta. Winston Peters' coochie-dance about whether or not he's contesting Helensville is soft porn not hard news. Was that about anything other than the media's bad bromance with an old (but amusing) bigot past his use-by date -- and should Duncan Garner and John Campbell just get a room and fuck him already?

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

  • Martin Lindberg,

    As opposed to last night's Three News fellatio-anilungus fiesta on Winston Peters not standing in Helensville. WTF was that about -- and should Duncan Garner and John Campbell just get a room and fuck him already?

    aargh - the image! - it hurts!

    Stockholm • Since Jul 2009 • 802 posts Report Reply

  • Danyl Mclauchlan,

    Craig - they still went along, didn't they? And take another peek at the broadcast coverage, particularly.

    What journalist worth the name would have stayed away?

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 927 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    anilungus

    That shoud be "Ling" not "lung". If I'm going to be vulgar, the least I can do is spell it correctly.

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

  • philipmatthews,

    Deborah Coddington on Nine to Noon this morning, on the question of whether Rodney is a bully:

    "Heather Roy is a soldier in the territorials. She was scared of a short man with a spray-on suntan who went on Dancing with the Stars?"

    Christchurch • Since Nov 2007 • 656 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson,

    Act could have been useful. Now, it needs to change or disappear – and I don't know which is more likely.

    I don't think either one is likely. It was how you describe right from the get-go. It's National I'm disappointed in, for giving them so much unnecessary power.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso,

    I think there might be a reason why National needs Act that doesn't always get acknowledged: it's good for a party that claims the centre to have at least one party on its wing. Key has always distanced himself very theatrically from Douglas, whilst being happy enough to take his vote. But if Act disappears, then the image of Act that he's so keen to not have stick to National will in fact stick to National.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson,

    A classic "good cop bad cop" act? It does work.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • Kumara Republic,

    Who needs to fight the "nutbars, creeps and angry social conservatives" when we can watch them fight themselves? If they were indeed Marxists in their youth, nothing's changed much. ;D

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

  • Paul Campbell,

    I think the thing with Act is that it's really 3 or 4 parties who vaguely tolerate each other - there's libertarians-lite, law'n'order, Roger Douglas, .... and a sort of Rodney-aren't-I-great-Hyde-and-don't-I-look-cute-(bald,in-this-yellow-coat,dancing) self-cult - they each sort feel that they as a group fit together and but that their particular issue is the important one - is anyone surprised what's going down?

    Dunedin • Since Nov 2006 • 2623 posts Report Reply

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