Posts by Bart Janssen
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Hard News: Metiria's Problem, in reply to Neil,
And the mystery box challenge is goose.
And the mystery box challenge is LIVE goose.
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Hard News: The new establishment, in reply to Joe Wylie,
This government has proven rather more cynically sophisticated than that.
National is unashamedly ideology driven. They simply don't accept any evidence that is contrary to their position in the belief that because their ideology is correct any such evidence must be flawed, either the evidence itself is faulty or the ideology hasn't been given enough time to succeed.
And yes that is a perfect circle.
To be fair this is a fairly human behaviour and again to be fair they've campaigned on such an approach and hence feel they have a mandate to enact it.
They've used public input as a method of pacifying the masses without any intention of shifting from their ideology.
Would The Greens and Labour actually be any different? Well, they say they will be ...
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Hard News: The new establishment, in reply to Katharine Moody,
I hope that this heralds a new shift towards embracing all the good work done by credible groups in civil society. About time government stopped thinking they know best.
With the best will in the world and the best bureaucracy supporting them the government simply cannot have the knowledge needed to make best policy on all issues.
The smart thing to do is, when groups of people get together and build knowledge and expertise in an area, the government should listen to them.
Sadly for the last 30 years or so when faced with a lack of knowledge governments have relied on ideology to guide them. It hasn't worked well at all.
Seeing Labour and The Greens actually deferring to the expertise of the transport nerds who have been figuring out solutions for Auckland is hopeful. We just need similar groups in other fields and a government who is willing to set aside ideology and listen.
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Hard News: The new establishment, in reply to Russell Brown,
A word also for Wynyard quarter: it's a brilliant place to bike to.
Yup, although the route from the pink path down Nelson seems to lose it's way right at the end.
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Hard News: The new establishment, in reply to Russell Brown,
At Wynyard, there are proper cycle stands everywhere.
It's interesting to see the places where they are and where they aren't (in particular some supermarkets do and some don't). But also some shopping precincts need to get their shit together (looks pointedly at Newmarket).
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Hard News: Metiria's Problem, in reply to Emma Hart,
So I totally understand why people have Issues with this, but it's not electoral fraud.
Huh?! That's odd. I just assumed you'd have to vote in the electorate of residence and I guess that's wrong.
So does that mean we could all register and vote in Epsom?
Asking for a friend?
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Hard News: Metiria's Problem, in reply to Russell Brown,
Because the address was the home address of the father of her child, further complicating her benefit disclosure. If she'd said nothing, the obvious assumption would have been that she was living with her child's father while claiming the DPB.
I guess there must be a different timeline, but I just figured she forgot to change her address on the roll and then just voted in Mt Albert because hell it didn't make a difference.
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because she'd falsely registered that address as hers so she could vote for her friend in an election
This was stupid. It was stupid to do it, but everybody does stupid things. But to admit it? She could have said anything else, simply a failure to remember why she did it - hell I couldn't tell you why I did 90% of the things I did at that age. Nobody would have really questioned it.
But voter fraud? Even fraud to cast a throwaway vote? Unless you actually were trying to make some political statement in which case you'd have made a thing about it back then.
I just can't understand why she would throw away all the political capital she just built up by admitting that.
Unless of course she's playing some amazingly clever political game.
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Hard News: That escalated quickly ..., in reply to Lynn Yum,
I really doubt there is any going to be policy shifts, especially this close to the election. Probably just different messaging and no more.
You're possibly right. But the point was, despite the presence of actual policy somehow Little had failed to communicate that and excite the public about any of those policies in particular.
The contrast with The Greens was particularly stark.
For example both parties have a pro-public transport policy setting. Both have made positive statements about light rail in Auckland, but where Little spoke in general inclusive NZ wide terms The Greens said "we'll build light rail to Auckland airport by 2021".
Yes it's the same message delivered different ways and yes The Greens probably pissed off a few Sth Island farmers by speaking in Auckland centric terms But the effect was The Greens appeared to have a tangible policy and Labour didn't.
The different messaging is all important if people aren't hearing you
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Well it will be interesting.
For me the problem with Little is no matter what he presented as policy it felt like politics.
Contrast that with The Greens whom one always felt like they are willing to die in the fire to protect the environment and now thanks to Metiria they've slammed a telegraph-pole-sized stake in the ground over social welfare. You can't help but know what they believe in.
Little may have managed the party into a better place, and they have some good policy, but nobody has made me feel like they are willing to do anything and everything to make something happen. That might be just the way I feel but I suspect a lot of folks have no idea what Labour would fight for if they govern.
Will Ms Ardern change that? We know National will fight to the death to protect the rich, and everyone still believes they can be part of "the rich" still. What will Jacinda Ardern, and Labour, fight to the death for and can they make me really believe it?