Posts by Lilith __
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OnPoint: Sunlight Resistance, in reply to Craig Ranapia,
I still need convincing that “the issue cannot be dealt with through the normal machinery of Government or through the criminal or civil courts” but, again, I’ll happily defer to superior expertise on a point of law.
The "normal machinery of government" is what's in question.
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OnPoint: Sunlight Resistance, in reply to Keith Ng,
the media failed to hold Collins to account, failed to hold Katherine Rich to account, and more or less failed to hold Ede/Key to account.
And the fact that they tried their hardest is a critical part of this. The solution isn’t to “try harder” or simply be better at their jobs. I think the lesson here is that their jobs no longer fulfil the role we need them to. The idea that a mob of journos chasing politicians around sticking a mic in their face could hold them accountable needs to be reexamined.
Key, Collins, et al. barely troubled even to deny accusations of lying and corruption. They just brushed them aside and ignored them. If necessary, they painted themselves as victims of "partisan attacks" and "politically-motivated revelations" and "unfairness". As if democratic criticism, opposition and debate victimised them.
So many media reports and headlines led with quotes from Key or Collins, the whole framing was from their point of view. When Labour said or did something, Key's reaction was often leading the report.
And I don't remember this being the case under the Clark government, when National attacks were widely repeated and taken seriously, even if they were nonsensical. ("lightbulbs!" "cold showers!" etc.)
There is a subtle framing also when we hear about "attacks on the government" or (even "attacks on our goverment) rather than " criticism of National/National government".
I think the Nats' PR machine has had insidious effects in the media even when the source wasn't Slater and co.
How can Len Brown's extramarital affair have been "the story of the year" when wholesale foreign spying on NZers barely made a blip?
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Oh, Chelle. What an impossibly hard experience to have to go through. Thank you for writing about it. My very best thoughts and wishes to you. x
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I'd love a moratorium on (public) political polling during the election campaign. I think the perception that the Nat victory was in the bag turned a lot of people off voting. And it encourages horse-race journalism, which debases all of us.
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I think Labour and the Greens need to start working closely together, like the government-in-waiting that they are.
Worth remembering that the new young voters will have no memory of life under a Labour government, or of Labour being a strong boisterous opposition. They only know it as ineffectual.
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It astonishes me that National is perceived as keeping their own house in order. Their justice minister had to resign under allegations of corruption just before the election. A major Parliamentary ally who JK vouched for was just sentenced for electoral fraud.
Nothing succeeds like success.
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Absolutely perfect day here in Dunedin, until downpour about an hour ago. This morning I strolled to the polling booth with my sister and then we went for a lovely beach walk. Sunny and still, the dark emerald waves turning over neatly.
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Flying Spaghetti Monster. Sayin.
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Southerly: Sign this Petition, in reply to David Haywood,
the flageolet (which is a member of the fipple flute family, in case you were wondering)
I found this picture. I figure you swing it around your head? ;-)
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Southerly: Sign this Petition, in reply to David Haywood,
My very best wishes to Harold for his recovery. We need more like him.