Posts by martinb

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  • Hard News: Criminalising Journalism, in reply to JLM,

    Well Key was the 'smiling assassin' and Putin is ex-KGB....!

    Auckland • Since Jul 2010 • 206 posts Report Reply

  • Hard News: A week being a long time in politics,

    Picking the media to make up with John Key after their first spat. Sadly.

    Wasn't anyone who opposed TINA in the 90s (especially on student radio!!) a complete (insert term of presumed abuse here)?

    anyway it was a relief to find some news that seemed to say things a tad closer to what I thinking at the time and realise it might not be me who was mad.

    Auckland • Since Jul 2010 • 206 posts Report Reply

  • Hard News: A week being a long time in politics, in reply to JacksonP,

    Amen! we need satire. Repatriate John Clarke! Kidnap if necessary.

    Auckland • Since Jul 2010 • 206 posts Report Reply

  • Hard News: Criminalising Journalism,

    Ergh, no edit function. The above another reason for the fatalism and low turnout, as well as any political deceit. Policitians can't just get on and sell assets or whatever or make reforms.

    Auckland • Since Jul 2010 • 206 posts Report Reply

  • Hard News: Criminalising Journalism, in reply to linger,

    Japan can't get laws passed over night though. It's bicameral. A common complaint about politics is the slowness of any change.

    Unbridled power is no joke in NZ, as we should be aware with the recent back dated authorisation of the police taping, CERA, controversial policy passed under urgency and so on. I think these set really unfortunate precedents for government behaviour we may really come to regret.

    Auckland • Since Jul 2010 • 206 posts Report Reply

  • Hard News: Criminalising Journalism, in reply to Lew Stoddart,

    well yes, we've reached a case of Craig v thread. He seems to have replied to almost every post here.

    And Muldoon would have been a closer to home example. Berlusconi is innaccurate because- unless Key holds a whole whack of media shares in those blind trusts- Berlusconi really didn't need the police, he already owned the show personally. And with AC Milan the All Blacks to boot.

    Auckland • Since Jul 2010 • 206 posts Report Reply

  • Hard News: Criminalising Journalism, in reply to Craig Ranapia,

    well yes-

    we've had three years of government built on personal charisma and the absence of any real journalistic pressure apart from the BBC and when it does it's time to focus on trade? Not a chance.

    Key's credibility, capability, ability to handle pressure and lead our country is the most by far the most important at this time.

    National's policy has been very light, they have focused on beneficiary bashing and scarcely risked any of their other politicians getting scrutiny when God knows Bennett, Tolley, Brownlee and Wilkinson to name but a few sure as heck deserve it.

    Auckland • Since Jul 2010 • 206 posts Report Reply

  • Legal Beagle: Referendum Fact Check #6:…, in reply to Steve Curtis,

    and a personal army in the streets, after a campaign of political assassination.

    I have heard this argument before- proportional is part of the European weakness that allowed the Nazis in.

    I'm calling crap and lazy argument on this. Any democracy can be subverted when it's institutions grow weak. There were checks on Nazi power. They failed, again and again.

    Auckland • Since Jul 2010 • 206 posts Report Reply

  • Legal Beagle: Referendum Fact Check #6:…, in reply to Hilary Stace,

    This doesn't show the proportion per show (particularly of late) or of how each issue is dealt with- the way a host backs an opinion or frames a topic.

    Auckland • Since Jul 2010 • 206 posts Report Reply

  • Speaker: Why Auckland, and New Zealand,…, in reply to Patrick Reynolds,

    Yeh- Roughan was arguing on the weekend that Goff had committed lese majeste by calling someone who'd told a lie a liar, and that whichever party had the most votes should form the government.

    So if Labour and the Greens had 52 combined and the Nats had 47 he's arguing that justice is served by National governing there.

    He had to travel on the train to the world cup opening and didn't like that. So by that reasoning trains are useless for everyone.

    Auckland • Since Jul 2010 • 206 posts Report Reply

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