Posts by martinb
Last ←Newer Page 1 2 3 4 5 Older→ First
-
"We can only hope that the proposed changes don’t break things that don’t need fixing."
Here was me thinking that as a provider of Radio about NZ, radio NZ already had an excellent internet service. Concerned about any changes. After Guyon to Morning Report I'd need to feel that the service was going to remain clearly and significantly a public service and not feel the need to ape commercial stations.
-
I read analysis of the Canute story somewhere.
It has come down to us in two forms. One, in which Canute was a prideful king who was showing off and two, in which he was a wise king who wanted to teach his foolish sycophants a lesson.
The possibility of the first happening on climate change doesn’t really bear too much thinking about. Not a great idea for us.
Also: David Mitchell who is mostly the rant king. -
Hard News: Meanwhile back at the polls, in reply to izogi,
I've thought- completely non-seriously- about starting a GST Taxpayers Union seeing as how we are not represented in the net tax figures. And how there are so many of us.
-
Or if those who wish to oppose them didn’t willfully mishear and misinterpret.
See Cunliffe on the Nation or Parker on Q and A as good clear explanations of their policy at this point.
Suppose I should point out that I haven't heard the NatRad thing, but there has been a lot of good explanation of it since the release of the monetary policy. It's an idea at this stage, the mechanics of it don't seem to have been decided or worked out. Given their innovative monetary policy I don't see why they can't be- though it would be good for immigrants to get clear signals.
-
Hard News: The Mayor's marginal enemies, in reply to Russell Brown,
I think that there would be a lot of left critiquing of Len, especially around things like PPP, the waterfront, the ice-cream contracts etc etc
except that the idea of an American style attempt at impeachment after an election aided by less than objective journalism really has got the goat of many here.Len has got some questions to ask, and you almost feel that a more morally rigorous line of attack might have damaged him more. As it is, the way the opposition to Len is going on, it feels that in the main, those who didn't like him to begin with are just enjoying the opportunity to complain. Their complaints I've noticed, in particular Dick Quax, quickly turn away from anything that the mayor has actually done to the council policy in general which he opposes.
-
Hard News: The Mayor's marginal enemies, in reply to Craig Ranapia,
It's ironic really- I briefly attended a council meeting to support the Fukuoka Friendship garden with a few colleagues and didn't get a chance to show support for that because of the boorish behaviour of Penny Bright, Lisa Praeger and Steve Crow.
Now the Japanese consulate is dragged in to the row, on the basis of some incorrect reporting which the Herald doesn't seem to have corrected yet. (right?)
I think I saw the numbers somewhere else- Howick Tatoo 0 protestors, Japan Day 1 protestor, and Pride parade 0 protestors- about 100,000 out and about in Auckland with the mayor and 1 protestor. And I also heard from people that were there that he was well received.
-
Hard News: Aiming for the feet, in reply to Craig Ranapia,
Or they've seen John Key go full bat-shit attack 'dishonest!!' 'misleading New Zealanders!' over something which wasn't actually WMD's, but a clarification of policy which was going to benefit the people it was meant to benefit either way.
Some may also have compared the media reaction, and the strangeness of the Nats personal attacks and concluded that they looked desperate and that it wasn't really a fair-go.
Add that to the Nats having said they couldn't afford PPL leave, but now it is affordable, but they are only going to fill the cup up 3/4 because that's where the financially responsible person would.
A second adopted Labour policy and we're on our way to seeing a third adopted allegedly with the reaction to the baby bonus.
So, yeh, despite the media narrative, this seems like a gotcha that DPF will trumpet, but that may bemuse many voters.
-
@Bart and Craig
Not what I said- I said their political instincts were far-right. Really would expect better of Public Address. ( edit- actually I said they were far right, but having to temper their ambitions to what they thought would retain them power.)
In their own terms- they are having to swallow dead rats. Take asset sales for example- I’m sure many would be keen to sell off all the assets, not just 49%. Many in the party would be happy to be even more regressive on worker rights and on taxation. They believe that poverty is the fault of the poor and that their wealth is the result of their own endeavours solely.
We can’t compare NZ to Texas where a large percentage of the right believe it is their role to try and bring the End of Days faster and who perhaps still think back nostalgically about lynchings and ‘bombing ’em back to the stone age’.
Compared to past NZ their instincts are about as far right as Don Brash, Ruth Richardson, etc etc..just that they are better at swallowing their dead rats and moving incrementally.
As I said before a short while ago any asset sales would have been political suicide, and even now it is immensely unpopular with the older generation of New Zealanders, even some of those voting National, especially in the provincial and rural seats.
Now it has become the governments main economic policy and it still is the largest party in the opinion polls.
What is considered the political centre by the media has been dragged right and the views of many in the government is further right still from where they have been able to go so far. It’s just that they are able to present a cuddlier face than Brash, Richardson, Douglas, Prebble et al with less of a past to pop up at inconvenient times.
-
Hard News: All John's Friends, in reply to The Ruminator,
Disagree dude. They are far right (Key more than English perhaps) who take what they can get by stealth. If they thought they could get away with abolishing the welfare system they would.
They have been tacking to the right in lots of little small chunks, removing rights here and there in little pieces. For example the next thing they are aiming at is tea breaks and meal breaks and your right to have them. Death by 1000 cuts.
-
Hard News: All John's Friends, in reply to Matthew Poole,
I guess that's what I meant.