Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Moving right along?

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  • nzlemming, in reply to Craig Ranapia,

    I resorted to the Harold to distract me.

    Brewer snubs mayor :

    Cameron Brewer was re-elected unopposed as the councillor for the Orakei ward and was announced as the running mate of right-wing mayoral candidate John Palino two weeks before votes were counted.

    Now, aside from the fact that the Herald doesn't seem to understand that we don't elect a deputy mayor directly, and therefore "running mate" is not an appropriate term to use, has there been any indication that Brewer was actively involved in Palino's campaign? Not casting aspersions, just curious.

    Waikanae • Since Nov 2006 • 2937 posts Report Reply

  • Mark Easterbrook, in reply to nzlemming,

    Surely being snubbed by Cameron Brewer is something most sensible folk would aspire to?

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 265 posts Report Reply

  • Matthew Hooton,

    Richard Harman's article is a good model for looking at all this, but like many models it is a bit binary. The Auckland National Party can still be viewed, to some extent, as the Slater faction v the Boag faction, but there are factions within factions and sometimes sub-factions from one side align with sub-factions from the other. Also, it would be very difficult to place reasonably important people like Key, Joyce, Groser or even Collins in either, so the model breaks down.

    Auckland • Since Aug 2007 • 195 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Matthew Hooton,

    I did wonder if it was a little dated.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Kumara Republic, in reply to Matthew Hooton,

    Richard Harman’s article is a good model for looking at all this, but like many models it is a bit binary.

    From the Harman article, it sounds like an old-money vs new-money tussle on the surface of it.

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

  • Katita, in reply to Morgan Nichol,

    +1

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 67 posts Report Reply

  • Geoff Lealand, in reply to Kumara Republic,

    ... and a curse 'pon both their houses!

    Screen & Media Studies, U… • Since Oct 2007 • 2562 posts Report Reply

  • Lisa_J, in reply to Craig Young,

    Regarding the Scarlet Letter, the heroine of that novel, Hester Prynne, didn’t out herself as having had an affair except, unavoidably, by falling pregnant; this revealed her adultery because her husband had not yet arrived in the New England to join her.

    Despite enormous pressure and public condemnation, including being forced to wear a scarlet letter “A” for adulteress, she never reveals the name of the father of her child. (In fact it is the reverend minister, whose job it is to instruct his “flock” in morality.)

    The townspeople in the end come to respect the heroine greatly for her courage and steadfastness; the author tells us that by the time of her death the scarlet letter that she wears is a badge of honour.

    With all due respect to the young woman in this case, she is no Hester Prynne.

    Auckland • Since Oct 2013 • 8 posts Report Reply

  • martinb, in reply to Bart Janssen,

    Didn't realise this was going to have such legs.

    I guess what I was saying is that the harm to someone else of you laughing in your own head at someone's name is quite minimal compared to doing it on national tv or all over the twitter verse.

    Auckland • Since Jul 2010 • 206 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to ,

    Haven't seen anyone here defending him. Shitty conduct, as you say.

    But the challenge with elected governers vs employed staff is how to set the mechanisms of accountability so you don't get people trying to use them to trump civic process - like in this instance, as it turns out.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to ,

    pester a junior

    though she isn't really that, in either organisational or age terms - 32 is an adult everywhere, isn't it? Grandparent in some instances.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson, in reply to ,

    gutlessly suggest the real problem is with the the other party who apparently needs to “get on with her life”

    I'm curious where you think the harm done to her was, prior to her foolishly telling a porn merchant and a blogger notorious for ruining everything he touches. Prior to that, she had a good career and prospects. Now...well.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • Seamus Harris,

    I'm not sure how civic process is trumped when a mayor who has behaved very poorly resigns and a new major is elected.

    Also, has the mayor not been trumping civic process in swinging ratepayer funded jobs for his shag? I don't think this is part of his job description.

    Auckland • Since May 2008 • 49 posts Report Reply

  • Morgan Nichol, in reply to Seamus Harris,

    Who did you vote for in the election?

    Auckland CBD • Since Nov 2006 • 314 posts Report Reply

  • Seamus Harris, in reply to BenWilson,

    I'm not sure I ever indicated that I thought Bevan had been 'harmed'.

    I'm mostly just amazed at the way Public Address readers seem interested in dissecting anything and everything other than the central issue - that Len Brown feels above being held to any kind of behavioral standards.

    I've been noticing this trait (which often includes total detachment from reality) in many people who perceive themselves as 'awfully important'. It's starting to piss me off in a big way.

    Auckland • Since May 2008 • 49 posts Report Reply

  • Joe Wylie, in reply to Seamus Harris,

    It’s starting to piss me off in a big way.

    You still sound like a dirty little bugger to me.

    flat earth • Since Jan 2007 • 4593 posts Report Reply

  • Morgan Nichol, in reply to Seamus Harris,

    I'm not sure exactly which behavioural standards you're referring to.

    As far as I'm concerned, Illicit (but consensual) shagging has no bearing on fitness for the job. And we'll have to wait and see how far the job reference and so on went when the auditors come back.

    Not even one of the votes I cast in the election was for someone being close to their family, or for having self-professedly "strong morals", or for being a dedicated church goer, or for anything other than I thought they could do the job.

    If news of this affair had come out a year ago, in the absence of a better candidate I'd still have voted for Len Brown. Not because I especially like him, but because his policies seem to line up fairly well with mine, and he was the only one who'd beat Palino.

    And honestly for what I now feel like I know about Palino I'm extremely relieved things went the way they did. What a dead end he'd have been. Zero policy, even after he'd put his name forward? Seriously?

    Now, if it turns out Brown has done more or worse, I may well change my mind. But not yet.

    Auckland CBD • Since Nov 2006 • 314 posts Report Reply

  • Seamus Harris, in reply to Morgan Nichol,

    LOL!

    Who did I vote for?

    It must have been Darth Vader, right?

    Actually I am in China, so I don't think I was eligible to vote - though through my rates on Auckland property I still begrudgingly fund the Mayoral workplace bonk-fest.

    But since you want to classify me, I'll help you out. The only party I vote for with any regularity are the Greens. I would prefer to vote for the anarchists, but that isn't practical. National and Labor can both piss off.

    Auckland • Since May 2008 • 49 posts Report Reply

  • Morgan Nichol, in reply to Seamus Harris,

    It must have been Darth Vader, right?

    Someday he will be the most powerful mayor ever.

    Auckland CBD • Since Nov 2006 • 314 posts Report Reply

  • nzlemming, in reply to Seamus Harris,

    I’m mostly just amazed at the way Public Address readers seem interested in dissecting anything and everything other than the central issue – that Len Brown feels above being held to any kind of behavioral standards.

    If we're not discussing it, it's because it's not relevant to the mayoral role. He screwed up - we know that, he knows that. Behaviour unbecoming, but not behaviour requiring resignation or affecting job performance.

    Waikanae • Since Nov 2006 • 2937 posts Report Reply

  • Islander, in reply to Joe Wylie,

    Yep, me too-

    (dirty little bugger meme)

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

  • Sacha, in reply to Seamus Harris,

    the central issue

    I guess identifying what that is depends where you are coming from, in a pretty basic way. If you prefer handling one issue at a time..

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Morgan Nichol,

    despite the asthma

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson, in reply to Seamus Harris,

    I’m mostly just amazed at the way Public Address readers seem interested in dissecting anything and everything other than the central issue – that Len Brown feels above being held to any kind of behavioral standards.

    I doubt he feels above it. He thought he could get away with an affair (it seems, although we really don't know his side of the story yet), and hasn't. This is something hundreds, if not thousands of people do in this country every year, and have no ramifications on their work life. It's just not something the writers here tend to be judgmental about. The dissection is around whether there is any serious wrongdoing, a crime, or perhaps something injurious to the public good. There's only 2 things of any real interest at all on that score - the use of the workplace, and the giving of a reference for a job. Only the first one seems at all serious to me - it's cheeky to use a workplace for sex, although if it's a crime, it's a pretty damned minor one.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Seamus Harris,

    Len Brown feels above being held to any kind of behavioral standards

    Tis possible to agree with you on that, but not on consequences.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

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