Up Front by Emma Hart

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Up Front: Time for an Intervention

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  • philipmatthews,

    To give them their due, The Press seem to be doing pretty well. Those stories aren't being picked up nationally, though. The one about Nick Smith's brother I linked to got a brief airing on TV3 last night, but without any mention of the contradictions

    Don't get me started on how the so-called national media are only interested in what happens in Auckland and Wellington. Unless someone gets graphically murdered here. But it'd be an interesting/depressing exercise to tally up the Auckland Supercity television coverage against the ECan coverage.

    Christchurch • Since Nov 2007 • 656 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    Heat vs Light ratio though..

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Simon Telfer,

    to get rid of the bins?

    As counter-intuitive as it may seem, I am pleasantly enjoying the cleanliness of all the Auckland Regional Parks where they have removed the rubbish bins. Less trash, flies, wasps etc. You may be surprised.

    Auckland • Since Feb 2009 • 16 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    I had heard that evidence shows removing bins works - though yes, it seems counter-intuitive. Maybe all those who would have used the bins take their rubbish away with them, and the others do the same as they would have anyway?

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Grant McDougall,

    While I "hear" what you're saying Emma, look on the bright side: at least things in Christchurch aren't as bad as Invercargill where the mayoralty race is between...

    Tim Shadbolt...and...Suzanne Prentice. Yes, that Suzanne Prentice. Dear oh dear, oh dear.

    Dunedin • Since Dec 2006 • 760 posts Report Reply

  • Joe Wylie,

    North Sydney Council, probably Australia's wealthiest local body, got rid of municipal rubbish bins around twenty years ago. They seem to have more arborists than trees these days.

    flat earth • Since Jan 2007 • 4593 posts Report Reply

  • Matthew Reid,

    "I also told them that with some luck my brother and Rodney Hide would do something about it."

    This is outrageous. I suppose nepotism may occur more frequently in NZ than I realise, but this is so blatant.

    South Africa • Since Nov 2006 • 80 posts Report Reply

  • Isabel Hitchings,

    Oh lordy - I heard Suzanne Prentice on Natrad the other day (was she talking to Jim Mora?) and she was completely unable to say what her actual policies were beyond "I'm National".

    Christchurch • Since Jul 2007 • 719 posts Report Reply

  • philipmatthews,

    I think Shadders can hold Invers, no problem.

    Christchurch • Since Nov 2007 • 656 posts Report Reply

  • Lucy Stewart,

    Oh lordy - I heard Suzanne Prentice on Natrad the other day (was she talking to Jim Mora?) and she was completely unable to say what her actual policies were beyond "I'm National".

    And that it was Time For A Change. But not to terribly different things, because she likes Invercargill, just to...slightly different things. Better things. Changed things. Of some nature.

    Good on her. And good on her for giving Parker something of a run back in 2007. She gave the impression of being smart enough to know that she was on a hiding to nothing, but someone had to do it.

    I know Megan a little through local left-wing politics, and I've always been impressed by her. She knows what she's doing.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2105 posts Report Reply

  • Just thinking,

    Emma, is that the same Sue Wells who stepped down from the Arts Centre Trust Board because of a conflict with her CCC role, only to take up a CCC sponsored trip to France while the CCC vote was on about the Arts Centre? She Represented the Southern Wine Producing Regions and is a CCCouncilor for Cashmere (This is what happened, no irony(is irony the right word?)).

    Joe, you could hardly say Side Show did a hatchet job on Bennett (who has left the building), anymore than Peters did to Brash.

    30 April at Ecan there will be a small gathering of friends.

    Putaringamotu • Since Apr 2009 • 1158 posts Report Reply

  • Just thinking,

    Lucy, I know Megan through mutual friends, it was long ago and now seems far away...

    Putaringamotu • Since Apr 2009 • 1158 posts Report Reply

  • Emma Hart,

    JT, it's the same Sue Wells who was horrified by the idea of putting CCTV cameras on Manchester St after the murder of Mellory Manning and considered it a waste of rate-payers' money. But again, I used to know her in Real Life (well, the theatre, that's practically the same, right?) and we got on very well.

    Christchurch • Since Nov 2006 • 4651 posts Report Reply

  • Joe Wylie,

    Joe, you could hardly say Side Show did a hatchet job on Bennett (who has left the building), anymore than Peters did to Brash.

    Not sure what you mean with your mention of Peters and Brash. Yes, Barnett (not Bennett) could be said to have "left the building" as far as local politics goes. Sideshow's little hatchet job, for such I believe it to be, may well have contributed to that.

    For around three years prior to the 2007 Chch. local body elections there were persistent rumours that Tim Barnett was planning to step down as member for Chch central and run for mayor. Many were disappointed when this didn't happen. While I'm hardly an unqualified fan of Tim Barnett, his possible candidacy represented the only credible left-wing challenge to Parker's ascendancy. Rather than appearing magnanimous in victory, Parker's rush to neutralise any possible future Barnett candidacy revealed him as being weak and spiteful.

    flat earth • Since Jan 2007 • 4593 posts Report Reply

  • Grant McDougall,

    Oh lordy - I heard Suzanne Prentice on Natrad the other day (was she talking to Jim Mora?) and she was completely unable to say what her actual policies were beyond "I'm National".

    And that it was Time For A Change. But not to terribly different things, because she likes Invercargill, just to...slightly different things. Better things. Changed things. Of some nature.

    I'd like to think that Shadbolt will hold Invercargill, but on Campbell Live last week Campbell said he'd received some e-mails saying that "Suzanne Prentice is like Sarah Palin."
    He added " which may be a good or bad thing, I suppose, depending on your prespective."

    And therein lies the problem. As Lucy's post shows she's clearly ditsy and out of her depth intellectually, but she has that "gosh, darn it, I'm a regular person just like you" pitch that appeals to feeble-minded twits.

    Sure, Shadbolt's well-established and popular, but I suspect it may get dirty and she'll start slinging mud and get all "I'm a local girl made good - he's a hippy do-gooder from Auckland. I sincerely hope not, though.

    Dunedin • Since Dec 2006 • 760 posts Report Reply

  • Grant McDougall,

    it's the same Sue Wells who was horrified by the idea of putting CCTV cameras on Manchester St after the murder of Mellory Manning and considered it a waste of rate-payers' money.

    Whereas if it'd been a Rangi Ruru girl murdered and not a prostitute, doubtless she'd have been all for them and aghast that the council hadn't installed them much earlier.

    Dunedin • Since Dec 2006 • 760 posts Report Reply

  • Emma Hart,

    Whereas if it'd been a Rangi Ruru girl murdered and not a prostitute, doubtless she'd have been all for them and aghast that the council hadn't installed them much earlier.

    Oh Grant, they already have them on the Strip.

    (Apologies to any Rangi girls I may have offended.)

    Christchurch • Since Nov 2006 • 4651 posts Report Reply

  • Islander,

    Or a St Margarets or GHS young woman...one reason I am never going to be living in CHCH again (and I spent about the first 21 years of my life (born there, grew up there( sort of), was schooled there (and went to UC there)) - is the profoundly entrenched Pakeha snobbery that runs deep and cuttingly and vilely throughout the place.

    One of the reasons I was not recognised as a CHCH/Canterbury-born writer in the 2000 centennary 'Press" edition was - my mother is Kai Tahu/Scots and I went to Aranui HS (plus all that lives-on-the-Coast stuff, dear-)

    Big O, Mahitahi, Te Wahi … • Since Feb 2007 • 5643 posts Report Reply

  • Sofie Bribiesca,

    is the profoundly entrenched Pakeha snobbery that runs deep and cuttingly and vilely throughout the place.

    I pretty much reckon that is exactly why my extremely tanned Father and very white Mother chose to move to Auckland in the first few years of their marriage.

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

  • Just thinking,

    Islander, I am endeared by every letter you write, but disagree as you choose to only look to the establishment for recognition and acceptance.
    Know 'we' are here and love you.
    Aroha nui JT

    Putaringamotu • Since Apr 2009 • 1158 posts Report Reply

  • Sofie Bribiesca,

    Aroha nui

    I think, not so JT. A sculpture Islander, and a few of us donated tonight to the Rehab+ in Auckland was aptly named " Arohanui, Homai o Homai"
    Islander, you have mail :)))

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

  • Lucy Stewart,

    Islander, I am endeared by every letter you write, but disagree as you choose to only look to the establishment for recognition and acceptance.

    Without wishing to speak for Islander, I'd say sometimes the point isn't that you need recognition from the establishment, but what the lack of recognision *says* about the establishment. And when the establishment runs the place, well...it's worth taking that into account when deciding if you want to live there.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2105 posts Report Reply

  • Just thinking,

    Joe, Sideshow is a rightwing extremist, why would he have any love for Labour/2021/watch-this-space?

    Emma, I'm not sure how CCTV helps. The little too-doo I got in after leaving work a few yrs back was in broad daylight . The victim was pregnant, a drug addict, and associated with neo-nazis. If CCC rent street space to cafes and ticket you for parking too long, surely they can regulate these going ons.

    Putaringamotu • Since Apr 2009 • 1158 posts Report Reply

  • Just thinking,

    "And when the establishment runs the place",
    But does it?
    Will you let it?
    Is it worth fighting, I mean voting for? (ANZAC Day is so close)

    Sofie, are you critquing my grammer, or questioning my sincerity?

    Putaringamotu • Since Apr 2009 • 1158 posts Report Reply

  • Joe Wylie,

    Joe, Sideshow is a rightwing extremist, why would he have any love for Labour/2021/watch-this-space?

    I'm not aware that I've even so much as hinted that he might. As his reaction to the rumours of Anderton's candidacy shows, he's easily rattled. But a rightwing extremist? While his sympathies certainly seem to gravitate in that direction, Parker gives the impression of not really standing for anything much. He's obedient to his backers, and is no more his own man than Brash ever was.

    flat earth • Since Jan 2007 • 4593 posts Report Reply

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