Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Dirty Politics

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  • Steve Barnes, in reply to Paul Williams,

    Singo, as he’s affectionately known, and the likes of Alan Jones are the most unappealing face of Australian intolerance

    I beg to differ, there are far worse in the common populace, especially in Queensland and points north. I really should stop right here as, I am sure many will tell me, there are good people too. Stereotypical tar brushing will always lead to generalisation and in doing so will offend many, so....
    I shutupnow...

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Williams, in reply to Steve Barnes,

    I beg to differ, there are far worse in the common populace, especially in Queensland and points north.

    You could well be right, despite living in Australia for 12 years, in reality, I live in a bubble - the inner west of Sydney - which is exceptionally liberal by comparison with the rest of the nation.

    Sydney • Since Nov 2006 • 2273 posts Report Reply

  • Angela Hart,

    Once again Winston is able to take advantage of events to raise his profile and attractiveness to voters http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/10450053/Peters-bottom-line
    We need the inquiry he's demanding.

    Christchurch • Since Apr 2014 • 614 posts Report Reply

  • Steve Barnes, in reply to Paul Williams,

    I live in a bubble –

    You really should get out more. ;-)
    Australia is a stunning country that is, as Bill Bryson put it, “Fucking Huge”. You could spend several lifetimes and discover only a fraction.
    Uluru (Ayers Rock for rockheads) has an aura that evokes feelings you will never recognise as your own and that’s just a pebble in the middle.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Williams, in reply to Steve Barnes,

    Steve, agreed. I've seen a lot, although as you say, it's huge so there's plenty of gaps (not north of Perth or to Uluru, yet).

    Sydney • Since Nov 2006 • 2273 posts Report Reply

  • Moz, in reply to Paul Williams,

    despite living in Australia for 12 years, in reality, I live in a bubble - the inner west of Sydney - which is exceptionally liberal by comparison with the rest of the nation.

    I suspect being white and male also helped you. Even in Marrickville and Newtown my partner cops frequent abuse for being female or asian. The contest to be the most odious arsehole in Australia is vigorous and has many participants.

    Sydney, West Island • Since Nov 2006 • 1233 posts Report Reply

  • Sofie Bribiesca, in reply to Moz,

    I had a great time in oz for 11 years but I left for a couple of reasons and one was the underbelly of prejudice. It was always there just beneath the surface. Even amongst our group of friends. I couldn't believe the total disrespect for Aboriginals. I couldn't live with it in the end. These friends were a mix of ethnicities as well. But every job was the same also

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report Reply

  • Joe Wylie, in reply to Steve Barnes,

    I actually quite like that song. It is about “Mateship” the whole “standing by your mate” thing doesn’t strike me as homoerotic, some of my best mates are women and I value friendship above all else and I do like a good singalong. ;-)

    An old friend of mine, now living in retirement in the Blue Mountains, used to clean the John Singleton ad agency in Hunters Hill back in his student days. Singletons had a number of beer and similarly blokey accounts, and cultivated a stable of 'creatives' who reflected that vibe.

    One of these worthies would often be working late, and took pleasure in mocking my cleaner friend, calling him 'Maynard', due to his fancied resemblance to a beatnikish sitcom character of that era.

    One evening he boasted to Maynard of how he'd recently 'scored' when 'up the Cross'. This 'really beautiful chick' had performed enthusiastic oral sex on him in his car, but wasn't keen for anything else. What did Maynard reckon about that?
    "That wasn't a chick", said Maynard. "That wasn't a chick, that was a queen".

    The guy turned pale, then moved into you're joking, right? mode, before settling on what the hell would you know. But as my friend told it, "He never called me Maynard after that".

    So yeah, while Williamson's ditty might strike a grubby mind such as mine as homoerotic, there's no way a straight up & down shop like Singo's would commission anything with that kind of intent.

    flat earth • Since Jan 2007 • 4593 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Angela Hart,

    Once again Winston is able to take advantage of events to raise his profile and attractiveness to voters http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/10450053/Peters-bottom-line
    We need the inquiry he’s demanding.

    I tend to think this is quite significant. The highly evasive Peters has put down a bottom line that seems very likely to guide his choices after the election. Labour would be delighted to organise a Royal Commission and National would not want a bar of such a thing. It would be a massive dead rat to swallow.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Angela Hart, in reply to Russell Brown,

    I agree totally and it's not often I applaud Winston. I have to here, my hat is off :-)

    Christchurch • Since Apr 2014 • 614 posts Report Reply

  • Angela Hart,

    I suppose though, that makes NZ first still less attractive to disillusioned Nats. If you are a National supporter who wants the party to disinfect itself what do you do? Vote for someone else, or not vote in the hope that failure to get re-elected will result in a clean up, one way or the other? I find it remarkable that Hooton still plans to vote National, how is that going to improve matters? Should they get re-elected it seems to me it would be much more difficult for them to get their house in order, some would see it as vindication.

    Christchurch • Since Apr 2014 • 614 posts Report Reply

  • Rob Stowell, in reply to Angela Hart,

    some would see it as vindication.

    I can just hear it. “Look, NZers gave us a clear mandate to smear, obfuscate and manipulate. It would be quite wrong for us to do some sort of U-turn now the votes have been counted.”

    Whakaraupo • Since Nov 2006 • 2120 posts Report Reply

  • Steve Barnes, in reply to Joe Wylie,

    , there’s no way a straight up & down shop like Singo’s would commission anything with that kind of intent.

    I do find it hard to believe that Williamson wrote that for Singleton's agency but then I find it hard to understand why Emenem would think it fine and dandy for "Team (wan)Key" to use "Lose Yourself" as their anthem.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report Reply

  • Joe Wylie, in reply to Steve Barnes,

    I do find it hard to believe that Williamson wrote that for Singleton’s agency

    Williamson's been a regular guest over the years on Singo's various TV shows. While their contrived celebrity roast type of banter sticks in my craw, it seems to go over just fine in a culture where admen are household names like nowhere else. Singo, Mo & Jo, Siimon Reynolds with the extra i....

    flat earth • Since Jan 2007 • 4593 posts Report Reply

  • Ian Dalziel, in reply to Rob Stowell,

    Dudes, lend me your heirs...

    “Look, NZers gave us a clear mandate to smear, obfuscate and manipulate...

    ...the evil that men do lives after them
    and there's quite a lot of ambition about.

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report Reply

  • nzlemming, in reply to Angela Hart,

    . If you are a National supporter who wants the party to disinfect itself what do you do?

    I suspect there are a hell of a lot of Nats who are just as sickened by Slatergate as us pinkos, and would welcome a chance to clean house. They’re not all arseholes.

    Waikanae • Since Nov 2006 • 2937 posts Report Reply

  • Steve Barnes, in reply to Joe Wylie,

    While their contrived celebrity roast type of banter sticks in my craw, it seems to go over just fine in a culture where admen are household names like nowhere else.….

    whereas over here its bankers and property developers. We really are a bunch of sad fucks eh?

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report Reply

  • Joe Wylie, in reply to Steve Barnes,

    whereas over here its bankers and property developers. We really are a bunch of sad fucks eh?

    There's John Ansell, who despite being associated forever with Brash's 2005 debacle is almost inevitably tagged as an "advertising guru".

    flat earth • Since Jan 2007 • 4593 posts Report Reply

  • Steve Barnes,

    Back on topic. 3News interview with the head banker, sorry, Prime Minister. Key says he will leave it up to the “criminal” to come out and tell us who he has hacked.
    Un fucking believable. This, of course, he said with a big drunken grin on his face.
    Why, I ask, is he not calling in the police if he is convinced the “Hacker” is in fact a criminal? . I guess the public will have to make up their own mind as to why.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report Reply

  • nzlemming,

    Waikanae • Since Nov 2006 • 2937 posts Report Reply

  • Moz, in reply to Sofie Bribiesca,

    I couldn't believe the total disrespect for Aboriginals. I couldn't live with it in the end.

    I struggle. Politics here is pretty awful, but the government(s) have very solid support for the most objectionable policies because, as you say, so many of them are terrible people. In that "he seemed like such a nice guy, who would have thought his freezer was full of severed heads" way. And it goes right through to the little things, like they still sell Coon cheese "proudly Australian".

    Interestingly "The Conversation" had an article on the Dirty Politics stuff and someone has popped up in the comments saying that Key would be a better Australian PM than Abbott. In some ways I agree, because he's not yet shown himself to be such a crazy racist as Abbott has, but aside from that I don't think there's much in it. The advantage of Abbott is that he doesn't seem to be quite as corrupt as Key, and he's restrained by an upper house that he doesn't control.

    Unfortunately my partner is committed to staying here, so that pretty much ends the discussion for me.

    Sydney, West Island • Since Nov 2006 • 1233 posts Report Reply

  • nzlemming, in reply to nzlemming,

    Only a tease but it shows it's definitely Collins. The reason she has "no record" of any FB conversations is because she deleted the account. She never said she hadn't had conversations with him in the past; she left that lie up to Slater to pass off.

    Waikanae • Since Nov 2006 • 2937 posts Report Reply

  • nzlemming, in reply to Moz,

    The advantage of Abbott is that he doesn’t seem to be quite as corrupt as Key, and he’s restrained by an upper house that he doesn’t control.

    He may not be as corrupt (yeah, right) but he is not the full quid. The man's a complete drongo!

    Waikanae • Since Nov 2006 • 2937 posts Report Reply

  • Sofie Bribiesca, in reply to Moz,

    Moz, I loved my time there. Must admit ,much was a haze but the shit still penetrated. I had Australian girlfriends going out with Maori and would put Aboriginal down openly, loudly. I'd confront it a lot but they couldn't see a connection. Being half Mexican (rest English Irish) people think I'm a bit exotic but on the street I pass for Maori and man do I love that I seem equal with so many different types of people. Not so much in the States or Oz or the NZ Police but luckily I have a family and education that says "fight for your right" and doing so makes my life good. Aboriginals that I knew then were the Artists so slightly accepted but I still saw it as patronising. Having said that I have some Art and I love it. I read a book once about going walkabout. Cant remember the Author but the lessons I remember about survival made me believe the Aboriginal are our Ancestors so due much respec'

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report Reply

  • Sofie Bribiesca, in reply to nzlemming,

    He may not be as corrupt (yeah, right) but he is not the full quid. The man’s a complete drongo!

    They are all on the same page. I am not a conspiracy theorist! They all get together to convince each other something will work then they go off to their Countries and implement. We reap what they sow then Murdoch steps in and dominates the media. It would be funny if we had more than one planet

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report Reply

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