Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: That Buzzing Sound

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  • LegBreak,

    I’ve had a bit to do with John Allen over the years, and I’ve never heard anyone say a bad word about him. He certainly doesn’t have a reputation for being a right-wing ideologue.

    I’d be more concerned about the increasing say that Mark Weldon appears to be having in this set-up.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1162 posts Report Reply

  • Graeme Edgeler,

    I popped over to see what Mr. Farrar had to say on the subject...

    And no discussion of the revelations regarding Ms Lee that were aired on Campbell Live last night.

    If by "discussion" you exclude a debate between DPF and former broadcasting minister Trevor Mallard on the appropriateness and legality of the matter, then I suppose this might be accurate...

    Wellington, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 3215 posts Report Reply

  • ScottY,

    The Greens define a coup d'état:

    The latest developments are indeed alarming. However, the Greens need to work on their media strategy. Their press release is OTT verging on paranoia.

    Although I'd expect nothing less than this sort of risible nonsense from Sue Kedgely:

    We knew that democracy was under threat in Auckland, but I had no idea that our Government would go to this extreme. It would make Benito Mussolini blush with pleasure.

    And then there's this sneering bit:

    "All transition costs will be borne by Auckland ratepayers, but controlled by the Lord Hide oligarchy," Dr Norman said.

    it's pretty hard to take the Greens seriously when they release this sort of thing. It's a pity, because the issues they are trying to raise awareness of are serious ones.

    West • Since Feb 2009 • 794 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso,

    We knew that democracy was under threat in Auckland, but I had no idea that our Government would go to this extreme. It would make Benito Mussolini blush with pleasure.

    Hey, at least she didn't say Hitler.

    (Green party members who might be lurking out there: this voter is one Kedgley away from joining your party.)

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • ScottY,

    I hope Lee knows the difference between refute and deny, Scotty.

    Point taken. Although this was discussed in another thread a couple of weeks ago, and the term "refute" has come to mean "deny" in the legal industry at least. But guilty as charged, M'Lud.

    And if you know anything about the 'media game', then you might have heard the idea that the worse thing to do with false allegations is to give them the oxygen of your attention.

    I'm not trying to be argumentative, but the fact that it was an alleged eye-witness account makes a difference, surely. This is not someone saying "my secret sources have told me X has been doing Y". In that case I'd agree the best thing to do is ignore them.

    West • Since Feb 2009 • 794 posts Report Reply

  • Eddie Clark,

    Giovanni: You too? I'd be happy to join the greens if their luddite anti-science faction, led by Kedgley, would just go away .

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 273 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    I'm not trying to be argumentative

    Yes you are, and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. :) We just better not set up together as a spin shop, because the ACC and OSH liabilities will be horrible.

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

  • Paul Litterick,

    I think it was Deborah who said "I would vote Green, but I don't want to live in the Middle Ages."

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1000 posts Report Reply

  • Matthew Poole,

    To give people some idea of just how abnormal the constitution rules for the ATA are, here are some requirements for existing boards of various state commissions, drawn from their respective founding statutes.

    Electoral Commission, s8 Electoral Act 1993:

    (1) The Electoral Commission shall consist of—
    (a) the Secretary for Justice:
    (b) the Chief Judge of the Maori Land Court:
    (c) 1 person who shall be appointed by the Governor-General:
    (d) 1 person who shall be—
    (i) a Judge of the District Court or of the High Court or of the Court of Appeal or of the Supreme Court; or
    (ii) a retired Judge of any of the courts specified in subparagraph (i).

    NZ Fire Service Commission, s6 Fire Service Act 1975:

    (2) In appointing members of the Commission, the Minister shall have regard to—
    (a) Their personal attributes; and
    (b) The need for the members of the Commission to have between them experience in—
    (i) Public administration; and
    (ii) Business and economic management; and
    (iii) Finance; and
    (iv) Fire engineering and senior operational firefighting; and
    (c) The need for at least one of the members to be experienced in fire engineering or senior operational firefighting.

    Local Government Commission, s33 Local Government Act 2002:

    (1) The Commission consists of 3 members appointed by the Minister.
    (2) One member of the Commission—
    (a) must have a knowledge of tikanga Maori; and
    (b) is to be appointed after consultation with the Minister of Maori Affairs.

    Securities Commission, s11 Securities Act 1978:

    (4) The Minister must not recommend a person for appointment as a member of the Commission, unless, in the opinion of the Minister, the person is qualified for appointment, having regard to the functions and powers of the Commission, by virtue of the person's knowledge of, or experience in, industry, commerce, economics, law, accountancy, public administration, or securities.

    It's totally "jobs for the boys", and they're not even being subtle about it. In the absence of online versions of the Bills, I'll quote from the draft Local Government (Auckland Reorganisation) Bill, s11:

    (1) The Transition Agency must have a governing body consisting of a chairperson and no fewer than 2 but no more than 4 other members appointed by the Minister.

    That's it. The rest of s11 just lists the functions of the body and specifies "that the Minister must notify appointments ... in the Gazette as soon as practicable after making them." Yay for competent oversight by neutral persons. Not.

    Auckland • Since Mar 2007 • 4097 posts Report Reply

  • James Butler,

    (Green party members who might be lurking out there: this voter is one Kedgley away from joining your party.)

    The one good thing I've found about membership is that I get the press releases early, allowing me to get the cringe reaction over and done with before extracts turn up on the blogs.

    The hard answer is to join, and then work towards influencing the tone of discourse.

    Maybe I should start going to cell^Wparty meetings...

    Auckland • Since Jan 2009 • 856 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Campbell,

    Harking back to waaaaaay up thread - thanks for the invitations to Blenheim and Warkworth, but I think I'll have to stay in Mt Albert. I've never had the opportunity to lie down in front of a bulldozer before...

    don't forget your towel ....

    Dunedin • Since Nov 2006 • 2623 posts Report Reply

  • Mark Easterbrook,

    don't forget your towel ....

    They don't excite me that much.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 265 posts Report Reply

  • ScottY,

    The hard answer is to join, and then work towards influencing the tone of discourse.

    Maybe then we should all join ACT? (gag... choke...)

    West • Since Feb 2009 • 794 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Campbell,

    Act is pretty small - a putsch might be as simple as actually showing up to the AGM with 100 others and voting Hide et al out

    Dunedin • Since Nov 2006 • 2623 posts Report Reply

  • Idiot Savant,

    Russell, I appreciate and fully agree this carefully worded explanation of her unsuitability. Separately, I do wonder if National won't benefit somewhat from her appointment ~ with a different political cohort who see her as a real moderate in a sea of femo-nazis.

    Yeah, but they already had their votes. Whereas they've just likely just lost some from sane people.

    Palmerston North • Since Nov 2006 • 1717 posts Report Reply

  • Idiot Savant,

    Joshua, not looking like they're online yet. Gotta love that engagement of the democratic process, when legislation affecting the home city of 1/3 of the population isn't even available for consideration before it gets debated.

    And that is the very reason why National are using urgency.

    Look back on their six months in government: every controversial bill has been introduced in this way, in order to keep them secret till the last possible minute and deny the public any chance to do antyhing about it until its a fair accompli. It's the old Douglas blitzkrieg all over again - just like they did in the 90's.

    (and because some wingnut will undoubtedly allege it, no, Labour didn't make a habit of doing this. but partly that's because they were hamstrung by needing the support of parties who would react badly to such tactics, rather than anti-democrats who designed them. One of the benefits of MMP and coalition government...)

    Palmerston North • Since Nov 2006 • 1717 posts Report Reply

  • Tim Michie,

    In the absence of online versions of the Bills, I'll quote from the draft Local Government (Auckland Reorganisation) Bill, s11:

    (1) The Transition Agency must have a governing body consisting of a chairperson and no fewer than 2 but no more than 4 other members appointed by the Minister.

    And we're reliant on Sue Kedgley, Phil Twyford, George Hawkins, Shane Jones and Rahui Katene pushing back on the 5 National (including Nikki Kaye) + 1 ACT member on the select committee for changes...

    Oh, and if the Families Commission wasn't feeling the media spotlight before and hoped to with Rankin they're getting it now. At least changes there will hopefully get some coverage...

    Auckward • Since Nov 2006 • 614 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Williams,

    Yeah, but they already had their votes. Whereas they've just likely just lost some from sane people.

    Possibly, but they might also consolidate and extend their votes with Evangelical Christian voters by seeming to wrest back control of the otherwise evil Commission? If that wasn't their intention, you'd be right in thinking it was just stupid. Odd though, as Russell and others have noted, that Rankin's their pin-up girl.

    Sydney • Since Nov 2006 • 2273 posts Report Reply

  • Bart Janssen,

    one Kedgley

    A Kedgley is defined as the number of stale McDonalds hamburgers needed to fill a 4 km long three lane road tunnel.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 4461 posts Report Reply

  • Rich of Observationz,

    ...putsch might be as simple as actually showing up to the AGM with 100 others and voting Hide et al out

    I think they have dollar weighted voting, don't they?

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report Reply

  • Alastair Jamieson,

    don't forget your towel ....

    They don't excite me that much.

    At the risk of showing my age, it's a reference to The Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy (1981!).

    Hope the Waterview M'Way isn't quite that destructive! Think what else we could achieve with a billion or two dollars if we didn't build it at all...

    Auckland • Since Jan 2007 • 99 posts Report Reply

  • James Butler,

    Maybe then we should all join ACT?

    Like I said, the hard option. Although as has been pointed out, this might actually work :-)

    Auckland • Since Jan 2009 • 856 posts Report Reply

  • Mikaere Curtis,

    "All transition costs will be borne by Auckland ratepayers, but controlled by the Lord Hide oligarchy," Dr Norman said.

    it's pretty hard to take the Greens seriously when they release this sort of thing. It's a pity, because the issues they are trying to raise awareness of are serious ones.

    I agree, we need more vision, and less pithy comments or hyperbole. There is no value in name-calling. Frankly, the NACT government are a gold mine of opportunities to illustrate concrete ways in which the Green approach is so much better .

    (Green party members who might be lurking out there: this voter is one Kedgley away from joining your party.)

    One of the issues the Greens face is that people seek excuses not to engage with the Greens e.g. If it wasn't for <insert Green MP or Green issue>, then I'd vote/join/whatever...

    We can ill afford the luxury of media communications that distract from our core messages. I will be following this up.

    That being said, I also agree James. There is enormous scope within the Greens to make gains in all sorts of areas, even if there are some policies that you disagree with. And, as I have said before, Green policy is developed, critiqued and ratified by the members, so you've got every chance of moderating any policy with which you have an issue.

    Tamaki Makaurau • Since Nov 2006 • 528 posts Report Reply

  • George Darroch,

    A Kedgley is defined as the number of stale McDonalds hamburgers needed to fill a 4 km long three lane road tunnel

    I thought it was the weight of genetically modified McDonald's hamburgers required to make a 10 year old obese. Are you sure you're talking about metric Kedgleys?

    WLG • Since Nov 2006 • 2264 posts Report Reply

  • Mark Easterbrook,

    At the risk of showing the depths of my late afternoon torpor, I should have known that...I'm picturing a Vogon Destructor Fleet hovering over my house right now...

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 265 posts Report Reply

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