Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Moron y Moron

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  • 81stcolumn,

    Will Sport miss Trev ?

    IMHO not at all.............knows f**k all about elite sport and has done nothing for the rest. No lack of killer instinct in our Trev tho'

    Nawthshaw • Since Nov 2006 • 790 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    I have never understood these sorts of statements about humility.

    Indeed. In Three's pretty soft piece on the reshuffle last night, even Clayton Cosgrove's Tourette-like reminders of how 'humble' he was drew some (gentle) urine extraction.

    To be fair, though, Frederick McElrea's judgment would have humbled anyone who wasn't in the grip of psychotic self-regard. Could have been a lot worse for GB, but it wasn't a ringing exoneration either. Humility was definitely the order of the day, but I agree it's only of those quality you show never tell about.

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

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Oh, and could Helen please STFU now? Listening to the post-reshuffle post-mortem on Morning Report, the "there's no excuse for what Trevor did, but" spin coming out of her mouth is just getting worse.

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

  • WH,

    Unofficial version - got the boot due to a poor performance in his justice portfolio and for making a pigs ear of handling the Electoral Finance Bill once it was released.

    I had read somewhere that Burton had been "underperforming" in his portfolio. He came across well on TV (ie, plausibly and as a rounded sort of chap) but how much can you really take from a TV interview. Still, that's more than I could say about some others. Don't judge a book et cetera.

    I do wonder whether any amount of adroit media handling could have protected the EFB from criticism from a free speech orientated press/law society/National Party.

    Since Nov 2006 • 797 posts Report Reply

  • Margaret B,

    Craig, I agree, I wish Helen would stop going on about it (and I guess that may mean the media need to stop fixating on it).

    What I would like a journo to ask is the following question of Mr Key:

    "Have you discussed the incident with the National MP involved, and have you indicated to him that if he did grab another MP by the tie that is not acceptable behaviour?"

    Trev was wrong. Tau's alleged actions prove he may have been a bit wrong too (of course less than Trev, it's never acceptable to bop someone as he did). If Key is going to continue to go on and on about how Helen handled Trev's actions then he should be opening himself up to some scrutiny about how he is handling Henare.

    Since Oct 2007 • 59 posts Report Reply

  • Margaret B,

    Sorry steven, you're going to have to explain to me what you mean here.

    Since Oct 2007 • 59 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    If Key is going to continue to go on and on about how Helen handled Trev's actions then he should be opening himself up to some scrutiny about how he is handling Henare.

    I'd agree up to a point; but would also say that Key's not the one banging on about how much stress Mallard causes around the place, and that Trevor has made a career out of being a provocative little douche-nozzle who should have gotten a good smack from Bill English, when the 'honour' of his wife was - inaccurately - smeared from that quarter.

    I'll tell you this for free - I'm been informed by reliable sources that Henare (who is currently ranked 25th in caucus behind Georgina te Heuheu) hasn't shortened the odds of being promoted to the front bench any time soon. The phrase 'ripped a new one' came up more than once.

    And take it as read I don't think putting your hands around another MP's throat (which I've seen alleged elsewhere Henare did) makes one front-bench material in any party, let alone fit to hold a senior and enormously sensitive ministerial post.

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

  • Craig Ranapia,

    And I'd respectfully suggest that if positions were reversed, and Key responded the same way Clark did where Mallard was concerned, Labour would be incandescent with righteous indignation. And you know something, I'd probably have to swallow my tribal instincts and agree with them.

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

  • Michael Fitzgerald,

    Private prosecution filed against Mallard

    Graham McCready, who is facing more than 40 tax-related charges and is due to go to trial next month, lodged the court documents yesterday after police said they would not investigate his complaint.

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/4257199a11.html

    Since May 2007 • 631 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Finally, while we're exploring political hypocrisy around the Mallard affair, I'd like a journo to ask Miss Clark this question:

    <quote>Why didn't you chivalrous concern for the 'honour' of women subject to offensive and inaccurate insinuation extend as quickly - and vigourously - to [http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=178407|Mary English, Rosemary Bradford and Cathy O'Malley (who happens to be the sister of then Opposition leader and former Health Minister Jenny Shipley)]] - women who do not enjoy the protection of parliamentary privilege and cannot respond in kind.?"

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

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Finally, while we're exploring political hypocrisy around the Mallard affair, I'd like a journo to ask Miss Clark this question:

    <quote>Why didn't you chivalrous concern for the 'honour' of women subject to offensive and inaccurate insinuation extend as quickly - and vigorously - to Mary English, Rosemary Bradford and Cathy O'Malley (who happens to be the sister of then Opposition leader and former Health Minister Jenny Shipley) - women who do not enjoy the protection of parliamentary privilege and cannot respond in kind?"

    I don't like attack dog politicians, period; but what I like even less are the people behind them who like to pretend they're not holding the leash when it looks like backfiring on them.

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

  • Rob Hosking,

    I suspect Mallard would have been up for more severe punishment if there wasn't a tacit agreement from all sides that Henare was asking for it.

    No, I'm not defending Mallard for a second. But there is such a thing as rough justice.

    And on Mr McCready....he looks the lead contender for this year's Get A Life award.

    South Roseneath • Since Nov 2006 • 830 posts Report Reply

  • InternationalObserver,

    BREAKING NEWS!! (from NZ Herald)
    Official confirmation NO charges will be laid following punch-up!

    So I guess we can all STFU now? It's over ...

    Since Jun 2007 • 909 posts Report Reply

  • Margaret B,

    Oh Craig, don't start me on Clark's ridiculous "defending the honour of a woman" argument. Given her normally reasonably feminist stance I was surprised she could get those words out of her mouth in that order when she wasn't making a joke or being sarky.

    Thanks for the update on the view of Henare's prospects inside the beltway - I hadn't heard anything at all, so appreciate your insight.

    Steven, in the absence of a response from you yet (and acknowledging that I would be unreasonable to expect one so soon!) I'm wondering if you meant that I was somehow expressing some justification of Mallard's actions, based on Henare's? To be clear - I am not. Hitting is never ok (except maybe sometimes in genuine self-defence). I'm not interested in any "Mallard was totally wrong but..." sentences. I'll state it again - Mallard was wrong. Period.

    In real life it is possible for both sides of a situation to be in the wrong, but one more wrong than the other. It seems to me that that may be the case here, and I'm just a little frustrated at the massive media (and political) attention accruing to one side, when there appears to be zilch accruing to the other. Yes Mallard should be the main story here (sick of it as I am). It seems to me there must be a paragraph in that story though that covers Henare??

    Since Oct 2007 • 59 posts Report Reply

  • Andy Milne,

    I suspect Mallard would have been up for more severe punishment if there wasn't a tacit agreement from all sides that Henare was asking for it...
    ...No, I'm not defending Mallard for a second

    Thats a fairly impressive bit of doublethink there Rob. "Im not defending what Mallard did, but Henare was SOOO asking for a smack in the chops".
    Im not a lawyer, but I don't know that "the other guy was asking for it" constitutes much in the way of a defense.

    I think a more plausible reason for a lack of punishment is that maybe its a tacit admission that Clark is taking some of the responsibility for Mallard crossing the line. As Colin Espiner said in his blog, the owner must take some blame when an attack dog goes feral. That and/or there's not much left in the cupboard to replace Mallard with.

    Christchurch • Since Aug 2007 • 59 posts Report Reply

  • Rob Hosking,

    Not double think at all, Andy.

    I just wasn't taking a puristic legal approach.

    And if you think I'd go out of my way to defend Mallard, well, I think you'd find anyone who knows me would find the idea rather funny.

    South Roseneath • Since Nov 2006 • 830 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Thats a fairly impressive bit of doublethink there Rob. "Im not defending what Mallard did, but Henare was SOOO asking for a smack in the chops".

    Hum... and here's something else to consider: If you're a slightly misanthropic curmudgeon with a short (but longer than it used to be) fuse, most of the human race is begging for a good kicking most of the time. I just hyperventilate and grind my teeth a lot. :)

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

  • Deborah,

    I'm with Margaret on this "defending a woman's honour" crap. I put up a post on my own blog to this effect, and it's time stamped within 2 minutes of Margaret's post. So I really am with her on this one.

    New Lynn • Since Nov 2006 • 1447 posts Report Reply

  • Margaret B,

    Oh dear Deborah, people will start thinking we are the same person!! ;-)

    Since Oct 2007 • 59 posts Report Reply

  • simon g,

    Splendid contributions from the ladies there. And I shall defend you most strongly if any bounder says otherwise. Now then, did you bring a plate?

    Oh, and I'm afraid it's not over: Henare speaks

    http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0711/S00014.htm

    A strange statement. He could just say "That's not what happened". But he doesn't.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1333 posts Report Reply

  • Deborah,

    Neenish tarts or lamingtons, Simon G?

    New Lynn • Since Nov 2006 • 1447 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    A strange statement. He could just say "That's not what happened". But he doesn't.

    Listening to her on Morning Report she went a bit further than saying Henare initiated the punch-up by 'grabbing his tie'. I think Henare's statement wasn't 'strange' but (wisely) very carefully phrased. Think it might be time for a few people to join Trev on the naughty step for a period of quiet reflection.

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

  • Jeremy Andrew,

    My vote goes for the tarts.

    Hamiltron - City of the F… • Since Nov 2006 • 900 posts Report Reply

  • InternationalObserver,

    every man loves a tart now and then ... unless the wife is watching and then we reach for the wholemeal oatbran cookies ...

    Since Jun 2007 • 909 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    And to make sure the plate is properly diverse, I can whip up a batch of my double chocolate brownies and fairy cakes with super camp pink icing. :)

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

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