Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: What Now?

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  • Matthew Poole, in reply to Sacha,

    If the folk at the top have been totally focused on the cbd USAR work, that might explain how Key conflates the two functions (given that we know he has seen little on the ground). That’s being generous.

    Two major quakes and 12 days of international USAR effort don't let Key play that card. He doesn't have to know the details of how the USAR teams are pulling apart the rubble piles, but he damned well ought to know the difference between USAR rescue and CD welfare. I'd have let him get away with that one for two or three days, but it's now been so long that if he's not familiar with the welfare effort as well as the rescue effort he's demonstrating that he doesn't give a shit about the day-to-day caring but only about the "glamour" work done by the USAR crews.

    Auckland • Since Mar 2007 • 4097 posts Report Reply

  • Emma Hart,

    This is the most disturbing thing I'd read, before I saw that "portaloos aren't actually allocated on need" thing.

    Christchurch • Since Nov 2006 • 4651 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Matthew Poole,

    he damned well ought to know the difference between USAR rescue and CD welfare

    He'd delegate that to geniuses like Gerry. And would otherwise be hearing only from those near the top of the pecking order. Not that I'm ruling out incompetence or spin.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Steve Barnes, in reply to Sacha,

    He’d delegate that to geniuses like Gerry. And would otherwise be hearing only from those near the top of the pecking order. Not that I’m ruling out incompetence or spin.

    Are you suggesting that our President, oops what a silly mistake, is there a difference?. I mean, our esteemed Prime Minister doesn't understand what is going on? I think the closer we get to November, the more he will need those incompetence pants or at least a handy portaloo.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report Reply

  • Sofie Bribiesca, in reply to Emma Hart,

    So ,they don’t pick favourites? Guess that definitely applies here.
    They can get there for inspections but fail to mention back at headquarters, they need to shit? :(

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

  • Sacha,

    Chch councillor Sue Wells tweets (note 'Modem' meant to be Mcdem - Ministry of Civil Defense and Emergency Management):

    Modem know haven't been able to get 100% right in distribution of Loos. Let us know if we have it wrong. #eqnz

    Just noticed Aaron Keown is a councillor for the Shirley-Papanui ward. Hope local voters with power back on are noting his recent attitude.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Christopher Dempsey,

    I know it’s not a zero sum game but, if it comes down to it, and the call has to be made between ‘heritage’ and ‘safe,’ I know where I’m going to lend my support. And, sympathetic as I am to the value of heritage buildings, buildings of character, and the spaces and surrounds they can create, it’s one of those things where the distinction between “alive” and “living” becomes meaningless when the alternative is “death.”

    I'd just like to juxtapose that thought against Cheryl Bernstein's wonderfully written post: "We were always razing the place to the ground and starting again. We are, effectively, at a medieval stage of history."

    Parnell / Tamaki-Auckland… • Since Sep 2008 • 659 posts Report Reply

  • Christopher Dempsey,

    Just noticed Aaron Keown is a councillor for the Shirley-Papanui ward. Hope local voters with power back on are noting his recent attitude.

    Which seems remarkably, errr, what's a good word to describe this... oh this'll have to do - stupid.

    And BTW, Steven Cowan is ok - he was without power for some days, so was unable to post for quite some time.

    Parnell / Tamaki-Auckland… • Since Sep 2008 • 659 posts Report Reply

  • Matthew Poole, in reply to Sacha,

    This should gladden hearts everywhere – government to set up all-powerful agency to manage quake recovery.

    Good thing I know you're being sarcastic, or I'd have to jump down the tubes and beat you with a clue-by-four!
    It was bad enough when we got presented with Darth Brownlee, Lord Uber-Fuhrer of Canterbury, and now we have to look forward to ECan being repeated with CCC and Gerry at the helm.

    Been nice knowing you, Christchurch. Enjoy it while it lasts.

    Auckland • Since Mar 2007 • 4097 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Christopher Dempsey,

    Cheryl Bernstein's wonderfully written post

    Beautiful - highly recommended reading; a long meditation on the value of history and strange places

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Matthew Poole, in reply to Christopher Dempsey,

    Just noticed Aaron Keown is a councillor for the Shirley-Papanui ward. Hope local voters with power back on are noting his recent attitude.

    Which seems remarkably, errr, what’s a good word to describe this… oh this’ll have to do – stupid.

    Shirley-Papanui is "eastern suburbs" and he's demonstrating that he's completely out of touch with his constituents? Or is it the equivalent of Cameron Brewer sneering at the burghers of Mangere Bridge?

    Auckland • Since Mar 2007 • 4097 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Matthew Poole,

    Shirley-Papanui is "eastern suburbs" and he's demonstrating that he's completely out of touch with his constituents?

    That ward seems to sit right next to or even overlap some of the worst-hit areas (ward maps). Locals can no doubt clarify. I didn't even realise he was a councillor though the name seemed familiar.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    Catching up on some audio from RNZ's Checkpoint.

    Thursday: CD head John Hamilton defending portaloo allocation (stream, 3 mins) - but without offering any evidence in support of his belief that things have been handled just fine.

    Friday: Key's visit to Bexley (stream, 3 mins) including locals making their case, and reporter being told to take portaloo distribution matters up with Civil Defense. One local says many houses are empty so the loos might be in the right places where residents still are.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Kumara Republic, in reply to Christopher Dempsey,

    Which seems remarkably, errr, what’s a good word to describe this… oh this’ll have to do – stupid.

    Old hypocrites don’t die – they only deny. Rodney Hide, David Garrett, Aaron Keown... who's next?

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

  • Sacha, in reply to Kumara Republic,

    On the contrary, Keown's either showing the courage of his convictions or he knows his ward agree with him. Neither hypocritical positions in themselves.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Isabel Hitchings,

    It looks to me like Shirley-Papanui ward (in which I reside but whose precise bounardies I didn't know) sits right on the border between the areas which were hard hit and those that did OK. My street (which is near the southern tip of the ward) seemed to get utilities back around the 50% mark (though our sewage is sluggish again after the rain) and we experienced some liquifaction but nothing like what they had further to the East.

    Edited to add: anyone who thinks most of the ward is representative of what is being referred to as the "Eastern suburbs" will obviously have a very skewed view of what is needed over there.

    Christchurch • Since Jul 2007 • 719 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    I was trying to avoid this one, but for completeness it's cheerful intellectual time.

    For the most part, they have been stoic and resilient with a kind of war-time chipperness prevailing. The Battle of Portaloo, however, has been a pitched one. It has been raging over the airwaves with people from some of the poorer suburbs feeling that they have been forgotten and claiming that other, richer, suburbs are being privileged in the distribution of rare resources.

    In this they've been gee-ed along by local MP Lianne Dalziel whose emotions got the better of her this week when she launched a political attack on John Key and Bob Parker for failing her constituents.

    There was even anarchic talk of liberating portaloos where it was perceived there was an oversupply and redistributing them to where the need was seen to be greatest - a kind of khazi communism.

    Some seemed to believe they were the only ones who had been affected by the disaster. One man rang me outraged that the EQC hadn't got back to him with a time and date to inspect his ravaged home - he'd rung them twice, he exclaimed in indignation.

    The self-centredness is probably a coping mechanism.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Islander,

    My immediate response when reading that shit from Kerre Woodham – “O go boil your head” – was reinforced by the comments responding to her -bit.

    And, a considerable increase of appreciation for Lianne Dalziel and her advocacy.

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

  • Che Tibby, in reply to Sacha,

    True and I'm happy to try suitable alternatives. Suggestions?

    the phrase most commonly used in wellington is Field-Marshall Brownlee.

    i think it's the way it evokes a bulging jacket of fake medals that makes it ring so true.

    the back of an envelope • Since Nov 2006 • 2042 posts Report Reply

  • nzlemming, in reply to Sacha,

    Waikanae • Since Nov 2006 • 2937 posts Report Reply

  • nzlemming, in reply to Sacha,

    heh, when you say "his convictions" you are very nearly right ;-)

    Waikanae • Since Nov 2006 • 2937 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to nzlemming,

    City Vision? Free carparking and cutting spending.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Kumara Republic, in reply to nzlemming,

    Aaron Keown’s pre-election statement

    Oh, and he still thinks that a bomb hoax is a joke

    I was wrong about Cr Keown being a hypocrite. He's actually a fucking hypocrite.

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

  • Steve Barnes,

    I am appalled. I was under the impression that the Government had already declared this to be a national emergency, I now discover that this do nothing administration has just left it to the local council. Instead of getting on with rebuilding Christchurch after last September's earthquake they have done nothing other than give handouts to businesses and allowed the Police to treat those devastated people as if they were all criminals. According to the Herald their National Civil Defence controller had not even seen the Eastern Suburbs almost two weeks after the event.

    Most of the response has been run by National Civil Defence controller John Hamilton. He will go to the eastern suburbs for the first time today to see the damage first-hand.

    The Police have, today, allowed people to retrieve belongings, badly needed vehicles and paperwork vital to the functions of everyday life and business from the central city after saying for two weeks that it was unsafe. We now hear...

    There were few reports of damage from the 4.8 aftershock - a fallen chimney, a burst water main, goods falling from shelves and an online report of liquefaction in Linwood.

    If the buildings were that unstable as to be "unsafe" for limited access how come a 4.8 aftershock only brought down one chimney, did nobody even do a cursory inspection to see how unsafe these buildings were?
    As I have said before, the people of Christchurch need help not hindrance from the authorities, the Police should be there to serve not stifle the ability of the people to help themselves.
    Like I said, I am appalled.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report Reply

  • Matthew Poole,

    Len Brown has ordered an immediate update to Auckland's quake-prone building list, to be released once it's updated.
    One imagines it'll take a month or so, so I hope our ADD-afflicted goldfi^Wjournalists remember to chase him about its release.

    Auckland • Since Mar 2007 • 4097 posts Report Reply

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