Posts by Sacha
-
Agree about bigger fish to fry and the un-fun-ness of that lifestyle - though it's a trade-off for pay or influence I guess.
I have far more sympathy for the staff than the Ministers concerned anyway. Perhaps my governance expectations are higher.
-
Thanks, Deborah. Had discussions with exactly those sentiments this afternoon at an octogenarian's birthday party. I believe the reason people piled in on Jones is not because they're squeamish about porn but that it is so obviously in the private sphere rather than the public one.
Even English got away more with his sustained and cynical housing rort - before the govt shifted the goalposts just as they did in the Budget for our high-earning tax-dodgers. (Sorry Slarty)
-
That Armstrong story is worth a read - quite a contrast from the cheerleading he seems to have fallen into lately.
He analyses Paula Bennett's "inflammatory" comments about opposition to her likely dismantling of our welfare system.
In expressing fears that the debate could turn ugly, Bennett was trying to denigrate opponents of welfare reform without directly saying so.
...
arguing the merits of time-limited benefits and a two-tier contributory social insurance which is presumably being mooted as a means of eventually cutting dole payments.
Bennett confirmed this week that both those ideas will be canvassed by the welfare working group she has established to come up with recommendations by December for restructuring the benefit system.
...
But her view that the welfare reform debate could "spark prejudices" and reveal "an ugly side of New Zealand" is also an admission of the difficulties of convincing people of the merits of initiatives that have previously only found favour with the likes of Act and the Business Roundtable.
-
Fran O'Sullivan somehow manages to link this to Labour's legalisation of prostitution and homosexuality. Bravo.
More relevantly, she speculates about Jone's career options.
It's too soon to say whether the former Maori business leader will decide to chuck politics and resume a private sector career. He is formidably bright and has strong patrons in the business sector, including Business Roundtable chairman Rob McLeod.
-
In this feeding frenzy - and I agree there are far more important ethical/constitutional breaches to focus on like ECan - I feel a little sorry for the overwhelming majority of previous and current Ministers and their staff who seem to have had no problem separating their personal from public expenditure.
-
What, there's more than one channel? Must have slipped that one past while I was distracted by talkback. Righto
-
Seen the Singularity Institute?
-
Jon Stewart
Unlike the larger US media market, NZ lacks (First Amendment-derived) fair use/satire copyright provisions. There's also a decent chance of being sued for defamation if you are honest on air.
-
oh bother- about 20 posts in the last ten minutes, who can keep up? not me!
Reckon - I've been trying to post that for about 4 pages.
-
Interesting discussion - and I am continually grateful we have this space for it. I fully understand the structural nature of the problem and I agree that individual staff can't fix those. However..
I don't accept Henry is a bully. I don't consistently see him marginalising people, like you claim. I really don't.
With all due respect, Damian, that says you’re simply not paying attention.
Sometimes he can be a dick.
But never to someone *like you*. Paul Henry consistently picks on only marginalised social groups – just like other bullies do. You won’t see him putting down white business men or sports people – or anyone who he suspects could hand him his arse on a plate.
Where do you think the well-publicised flood of complaints come from? It’s not because he’s some misunderstood charmer. I respect the talent involved in keeping a live conversation going (not the same as reading an autocue by a long shot), but that doesn't excuse being a nasty cowardly prick.
My reaction to this stuff is coloured by my own experiences. I no longer really accept that a bully can be excused
Same (and it might explain the "name-calling", Marcus). I’m not saying Paul Henry is a workplace bully. However tolerating his bullying behaviour on our only morning tv show does damage. It sets a social climate about what is ok and it affects the choices individuals make, including in the workplace. That has real consequences and it causes real, costly - and completely avoidable - pain.
If there were dozens of comparable channels (especially ones that seed the news cycle), it wouldn't matter so much. Fortunately that's the way things are heading, so those who insist on a diet of braying and bullying for breakfast will be able gorge to their heart's content without the acid piss spraying on everyone else's cornflakes.