Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: The Creepy Party

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  • Emma Hart,

    "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?"

    Yeah, it's not actually usually considered appropriate to shoot workplace bullies in the face.

    Christchurch • Since Nov 2006 • 4651 posts Report Reply

  • Phil Lyth,

    Your train is waaay past the Vulgar station Craig

    Wellington • Since Apr 2009 • 458 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso,

    "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?"

    Yeah, it's not actually usually considered appropriate to shoot workplace bullies in the face.

    Yes, much as it was nicely phrased it was also a very stupid comment.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • Kumara Republic,

    And to add to my previous post...

    "F**k off! We're not the Association of Consumers and Taxpayers! We're the Taxpayers and Consumers Association!"

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

  • Michael Stevens,

    it is quite fun to watch them pull their house down around them, but in terms of being part of a government , and having a role in policy etc - it's shit - they really shouldn't be there, and this just shows why. But I am glad that the rock has been lifted, even if I'm not surprised at what is scurrying away from the light.

    Craig - perhaps we can get that three-way (or spit-roast?) filmed and then put the video out on pay per view for MPs to watch when they're alone in thier hotel rooms?

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 230 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson,

    Man I'm only halfway through that 82 pages and already bored to tears with the intricacies of exactly how it is that Roy and Hide wrangled over some document. This is what it was all about? FFS. Sounds like the kind of BS you get in office politics over paper clips.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • Phil Lyth,

    pay per view

    Ewwww


    BTW, anyone got a link for 82 pages? I must be slower than usual today.

    Wellington • Since Apr 2009 • 458 posts Report Reply

  • philipmatthews,

    Christchurch • Since Nov 2007 • 656 posts Report Reply

  • Rich of Observationz,

    a short man with a spray - on
    suntan who went on Dancing with the Stars?

    Emma, you totally scooped me on that.

    But maybe "watch out for the short ones with the fake tan" is part of the training?

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

  • Alec Morgan,

    Only Martyn Bradbury at ‘Tumeke’ approaches Craig Ranapia’s ability in the breathy fantasist politician/journo sexual niche.

    Which brings me to “Hidney”, didn’t he do a nasty line in verbal ‘gay bashing’ at a convention centre several years back? The MMP mantra of getting all political views into public scrutiny has been stretched to the limit by ACT.

    Tokerau Beach • Since Nov 2006 • 124 posts Report Reply

  • Tim Michie,

    Wayne Mapp is seriously displeased (he doesn't do "batshit incandescent with rage") about being dragged into this

    Him and the rest of us. The Minister for Local Government's collaborative skills have been an undercurrent as he shows how Auckland's cities should co-operate that I can't help feel to the model for the wider local government reforms.

    Epsom electorate: Richard Worth. Rodney Hide. You voted for them; is this the representation you wanted?

    Auckward • Since Nov 2006 • 614 posts Report Reply

  • Ian Dalziel,

    Boo boo boyos - on yer bikes...
    These days I find Rodney Hide and Steve Crow
    interchangeable as unpleasant media fodder...
    sullen, sweaty, self-absorbed shysters...

    ...and as one letter writer to The Press said this morning referring to Hide...
    "...He has a nice way with his opposition, having dropped another woman on her head."

    I see Boscawen's Wikipedia page has been quickly updated to show his elevation to Deputy Dawg to Hide's Boss Hogg!
    Not sure if I'm convinced a Business Roundtable associate member is the best person to be Minister of Consumer Affairs, but how hard can it be for an ACT member to rise from objectionable to objective...

    ...now excuse me while I finish needle threading this even toed ungulate dromedary...!

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report Reply

  • simon g,

    The feud is fun ("Values, not Politics" - ACT slogan). But there's more to this than just spectator sport.

    On Monday the country had an Associate Defence Minister. The Prime Minister had confidence in her. The Defence Minister had confidence in her.

    Suddenly, not only has that Minister lost her job, but the job itself has disappeared altogether.

    I'd like to know what happened overnight in the Defence Ministry to make this job suddenly superfluous. I'd like to know when the Prime Minister decided that it was. Did he just wake up and think "We need two Ministers for the Rugby World Cup, because that's really important - but for wars and that, we can get by with one"?

    Maybe we don't need an Associate Defence Minister at all. I wouldn't know. But - call me crazy - I'd like that to be determined by the needs of the portfolio, not Rodney Hide's ego.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1333 posts Report Reply

  • ConorJoe,

    That robot needs a cardie.

    EastCoast • Since Sep 2008 • 10 posts Report Reply

  • Graeme Edgeler,

    On Monday the country had an Associate Defence Minister. The Prime Minister had confidence in her. The Defence Minister had confidence in her.

    Suddenly, not only has that Minister lost her job, but the job itself has disappeared altogether.

    I'd like to know what happened overnight in the Defence Ministry to make this job suddenly superfluous.

    This has actually been answered: the work she was undertaking as Associate Minister of Defence was largely on the value for money review (or something like that) and was basically complete.

    Wellington, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 3215 posts Report Reply

  • Sofie Bribiesca,

    Epsom electorate: Richard Worth. Rodney Hide. You voted for them; is this the representation you wanted?

    Ahem,we never really got to the bottom of the Worth fiasco.The Key meister made sure of that.Auckland has ended up with Hyde or should I say Hyde has ended up with Auckland. I know people in Epsom that were horrified at their options last election. I suspect they might be praying for a better opportunity this next election.
    I think Hyde gave his electorate the impression he was "one of them". his standing on street corners.Driving an average car etc.The underdog if you will, which generally wins hearts in NZ. Reality hit once he was in and man has his elevation to minister gone to his head. Just like those pitbulls that are "so cute" when you first buy one, but soon as you let them off the lead,it's ya face off.
    Watching Jekyll and Hyde with Garrett prancing down the corridors of Parliament yesterday, I couldn't figure which one was which. Yuk, yuk,yuk.

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

  • simon g,

    This has actually been answered: the work she was undertaking as Associate Minister of Defence was largely on the value for money review (or something like that) and was basically complete.

    An answer, but not the reason. Unless you believe that, by a total coincidence, the work happened to finish at exactly the same time that the Associate Minister lost 3-2 in caucus. And also believe, that if the vote had gone 3-2 the other way, the Associate Minister's job would still have disappeared, regardless.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1333 posts Report Reply

  • Phil Lyth,

    Adding to what Graeme said, the full list of delegations to Associate Ministers is online - updated within the last month. So if you want to know what the Associate Minister for Teh Rugby does, go right ahead.

    Wellington • Since Apr 2009 • 458 posts Report Reply

  • Rich of Observationz,

    the work she
    was undertaking as Associate Minister of
    Defence was largely on the value for money
    review (or something like that ) and was
    basically complete

    I should have popped up to Trentham at lunchtime to see if the Halliburton branding was in place yet.

    (Alternatively, one could prefer the view that associate Ministers outside cabinet are like "bring your brat to work day". They get to sit in the big chair and run along the corridors, but that's about it. And playing tug of war with Daddy's paperwork will get you sent home early.

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

  • Xeno,

    I'd like to know what happened overnight in the Defence Ministry to make this job suddenly superfluous. I'd like to know when the Prime Minister decided that it was. Did he just wake up and think "We need two Ministers for the Rugby World Cup, because that's really important - but for wars and that, we can get by with one"?

    Well, we're planning on having a World Cup quite soon...

    Since Oct 2008 • 27 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso,

    Alternatively, one could prefer the view that associate Ministers outside cabinet are like "bring your brat to work day". They get to sit in the big chair and run along the corridors, but that's about it. And playing tug of war with Daddy's paperwork will get you sent home early.

    That's hardly how you would characterise Roy's role as associate minister for education.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson,

    Interestingly the Associate Minister appears to be responsible for training in the Defence Forces. Considering that's 90% of what they do in NZ, that's a pretty big role.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • Steve Barnes,

    the work she she was undertaking as Associate Minister of Defence was largely on the value for money review.

    Yeah, she bit the bullet for that? Apparentlr disintegrating bullets are good enough for the public but not the army.

    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.

    Yes, the Association of Caring Types it is not, more like Accountants and Consumptive Tax-avoiders.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report Reply

  • Phil Lyth,

    Halliburton branding

    Lockheed Martin actually. They are recruiting for a person at Trentham and describe themselves as:

    a world leader in global security provision and currently undertaking a large scale contract for supply of logistics services to the New Zealand Army and NZ Police.

    Wellington • Since Apr 2009 • 458 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso,

    I'll always think of them as the world leaders in corrupting officials, but I guess that's mostly a fond childhood memory.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

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