Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Democracy Night

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  • Sacha, in reply to tussock,

    Labour should be good houses, good education, good health, good jobs.

    Good work.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Islander, in reply to Sacha,

    But - I'd prefer a different order: good health, good education, good jobs & then good houses - the first 3, I think, are prerequisites for the last-

    of course, good government legislation is paramount and underlies them all...

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

  • Sacha,

    The Bryan Bruce child poverty doco made the connection between housing and health eloquently.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Islander, in reply to Sacha,

    Agreed- but surely ‘good health’ actually does cover that?
    I find the good housing thing redundant.

    You need to go back to my last comment (e.g. if it wasnt for the bloody shonkey
    revision of the law, we’d never have had leaky house syndrome.) But – without positive government legislation, equally we wouldnt’ve have had air-pollution measures in CHCHCH, or provision for insulation in older houses (which hasnt been widely taken up, and if you’ve had to jump through the bureaucratic hoops I’ve had to – only to be refused- you will understand why.)

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

  • BenWilson, in reply to Sacha,

    Good work

    It's pretty long though. ACT is so much easier. Join the fun in helping them rebrand. My favorite on #actnames so far is "Reserve Banks ACT", but there's other goodies too.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report

  • Kumara Republic, in reply to Sacha,

    Labour should be good houses, good education, good health, good jobs.

    Good work.

    That further reinforces my 'strong society, strong economy' idea.

    The southernmost capital … • Since Nov 2006 • 5446 posts Report

  • Sacha, in reply to Kumara Republic,

    quite - and at least you're both thinking about it

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Craig Ranapia, in reply to Kracklite,

    Definitely though, I do appreciate that the “let’s agree to disagree” is often a passive-aggressive version of “let’s not discuss it so that the established norm can continue by default.”

    And often it’s a way of saying “I don’t have the time or the energy to waste on a pointless argument that’s going to go round and round in ever decreasing circles before disappearing up its own arse.” Perhaps I’m going soft as I slide into middle age, but I’m losing my appetite for argument for the sake of hearing my own voice.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report

  • Sacha,

    Here's what claiming an overwhelming mandate looks like:

    1) Wet behind ears Nat MP and gardener Maggie Barry declares that Auckland's mayor should respect her authoritah over Joyce's fixation on building roads over public transport or fixing potholes.

    The morning after National's resounding victory she sent a strong message to Auckland mayor Len Brown, saying there would be a CBD rail link before a second harbour crossing "over our dead bodies".

    And the former broadcaster also affirmed her support for the Puhoi-Wellsford motorway extension. She attacked those who have labelled it the "holiday highway".

    "I refuse to use the `H' word. It will be an umbilical cord for the far north and its economy. It is an arrogance for the critics to take money already set aside for this purpose and use it for something else."

    2) Her colleague Kate Wilkinson waits until the first working day after the election to announce that the govt won't be honouring promises to consult the public over mining conservation land, a concession extracted after those spirited protests just last year.

    Take that, peasants.

    Naturally we await strong counter-statements from all opposition leaders and in Labour's case its several courting contenders. Or we really do have the government we deserve.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Kracklite, in reply to Craig Ranapia,

    Since I'm reluctantly but inexorably sliding into middle age myself, I can say, "yes, alas" - so maybe the quote marks can be around the last bit.

    The Library of Babel • Since Nov 2007 • 982 posts Report

  • Kracklite, in reply to Sacha,

    Kate Wilkshername actually said something?

    A pity that it has to something predictably swinoidic.

    Or we really do have the government we deserve. No, it’s someone else who has the government they deserve. It’s always someone else. Like those smegheads who voted Green, instead of Labour, who made a big deal of not mining national parks because it made headlines then but abruptly forgot about it when it came time to campaign.

    Oh, and by the way, I am not joining the chorus saluting Phil Goff for so honorably falling on his sword. He played a good campaign, but an utterly rotten three years too… and since he was Roger Douglas’s acolyte back in the day, I can’t say that I’m sad to see him go.

    The Library of Babel • Since Nov 2007 • 982 posts Report

  • Islander, in reply to Sacha,

    WE
    dont deserve them.
    Self-serving self aggrandising selfish know no nothing fuckwitz 'commentators'- especially Maggie Barry - she's a broadcaster right?
    And her other fields of expertise are?
    (Please dont say gardening because all my horticulturalist mates - and botantist - and practical gardening - qualified friends say she's useless.)
    So - if she's knows fuckall about her putative field of expertise - how ON EARTH
    can she be declaiming about a matter she -demonstratably- knows NOTHING about?

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

  • Sacha, in reply to Islander,

    WE
    dont deserve them.

    the first part of what I said is important:

    we await strong counter-statements from all opposition leaders and in Labour's case its several courting contenders. Or we really do have the government we deserve.

    If there is *still* no viable opposition to shit like this, then who do you suggest is not responsible? Those who didn't vote at all? Or those of us who tolerate muppetry from our representatives who are *paid* and empowered to oppose?

    I've had a gutsful of gutlessness and incompetence. The meek inherit ashes. The stupid mistake them for sustenance.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • st ephen, in reply to Christopher Dempsey,

    There are particular consonants/vowel sounds that come across as simply ‘noise’ to me, and I presume other deaf / hard of hearing people.

    Yes indeed - Google "Speech Banana" images. For my last word recognition test they cranked the volume up so loud it was almost painful but it was still gibberish to me: PARP. WUST. MEP. JUNN.
    Talking a bit slower is helpful, but better still is leaving decent gaps between sentences so I have time to parse all the possible combinations of syllables until I hit on one that makes sense. Unexpected foreign accents that swap vowel sounds around severely overheat my processor. So do 8 year olds, because in their world a question about Winston Peters can be reasonably followed up with a question like "Is the most common surname in France the French word for a smith"? or "Do you think the next King George of England will avoid drinking hot chocolate?".

    dunedin • Since Jul 2008 • 254 posts Report

  • DexterX, in reply to Islander,

    especially Maggie Barry - she's a broadcaster right?
    And her other fields of expertise are?

    Being a wanker - excuse the French..

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1224 posts Report

  • DexterX, in reply to Kracklite,

    am not joining the chorus saluting Phil Goff for so honorably falling on his sword.

    Goff's Hare Kari may be premature - a Labour Govt or left coalition could result from special votes - unless of course special votes are presently being shredded.

    I feel National's most cunning election ploy was their management of the economy - setting a course to drift centre right of the sun – and the rate at which affected voters disgusted with National's lack of strategy and NZ's lack of work left for Australia. I can only see that trend accelerating.

    It is game over for working people.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1224 posts Report

  • DexterX, in reply to Islander,

    especially Maggie Barry - she's a broadcaster right?
    And her other fields of expertise are?

    I almost forgot - being a target for gob.

    Glad I got that off my chest.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1224 posts Report

  • Sacha, in reply to DexterX,

    a Labour Govt or left coalition could result from special votes

    no

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • DexterX, in reply to Sacha,

    no

    Are they in and counted??

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1224 posts Report

  • Sacha, in reply to DexterX,

    face the world as it is

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • DexterX, in reply to Sacha,

    face the world as it is

    You mean go to Australia?

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1224 posts Report

  • Kumara Republic, in reply to Sacha,

    Attachment

    1) Wet behind ears Nat MP and gardener Maggie Barry declares that Auckland’s mayor should respect her authoritah over Joyce’s fixation on building roads over public transport or fixing potholes.

    That’s it. I’m upping the ante. What would Nikki Kaye do?

    The southernmost capital … • Since Nov 2006 • 5446 posts Report

  • DexterX, in reply to Kumara Republic,

    What would Nikki Kaye do?

    Do to who??

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1224 posts Report

  • Kumara Republic, in reply to DexterX,

    Do to who??

    Is Kaye going to toe Prostetnic Vogon Joyce’s line, or will she grow a pair and stick to her principles on transit?

    The southernmost capital … • Since Nov 2006 • 5446 posts Report

  • Joe Wylie, in reply to Kumara Republic,

    If she's anything like her avowed role model Katherine Rich she'll remain smilingly stoical, even while having buckets of political ordure tipped over her by her own party hierarchy.

    flat earth • Since Jan 2007 • 4593 posts Report

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