Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Chill out: it's a party

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  • recordari, in reply to Craig Ranapia,

    it would be really nice if the Herald would engage in some honest self-reflection about whether it adds value to public discourse.

    But, according to today's Rugby Herald, it's 'The paper they read in heaven'. Divine status doesn't come with mirrors.

    AUCKLAND • Since Dec 2009 • 2607 posts Report

  • Sofie Bribiesca, in reply to Ian Dalziel,

    is anyone actually campaigning?

    Yep , got door knockers for Labour Saturday. It was persisting down and they were soaked but extremely upbeat :)

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

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Craig Ranapia,

    Yeah, Tapu, it's not as if The Herald had editors who could have decided the "Minister of Bad Manners" story had no news value. I really love the way media folks act as if they've no influence over their own editorial and news judgement. Do magic elves assemble newspapers, television news and radio bulletins?

    The quantum of airtime and column inches devoted to that non-story is really quite remarkable. Still, Greg Growden of the SMH can be forgiven for finding the whole thing highly amusing.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Rich of Observationz,

    while they drink heavily, they do not get aggro or stupid when drunk

    Firstly, I think it's down to perception of what "aggro or stupid" is. For this event, TPTB have obviously decided on a fairly high tolerance level. For a music event (or the one-day cricket), less so. It's interesting that the liquor laws (as interpreted) require rigid segregation of 18+ drinkers from under 18's at Big Day Out, but not at a sporting event.

    Secondly, NZ has a violence problem much more than it has a drinking problem. Even anti-violence advertising is often steeped in the implied threat of violence (e.g. posters with a big bloke looking staunch). If one's conditioned that violence is ok (always under defined circumstances) then it's more likely that one will become violent when in an altered state.

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Richard Grevers,

    There is something about the Irish – reports from publicans after the Ireland/USA game in New Plymouth said that while they drink heavily, they do not get aggro or stupid when drunk*. Instead they get happier and mellow.

    Oh, they're capable of getting very passionate. But yeah. Some of the Irishmen I saw in town seemed basically incredulous at what had happened, more than anything.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Rich of Observationz,

    It’s interesting that the liquor laws (as interpreted) require rigid segregation of 18+ drinkers from under 18’s at Big Day Out, but not at a sporting event.

    Or at Queen's Wharf. I saw one child at The Cloud -- dancing happily -- but that seemed to be excuse enough to police the whole thing as if it were a school disco.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Craig Ranapia,

    ETA: BTW, my David worked on Saturday night and when he rolled in at 2.30am he said the most eventful thing that happened was helping to steer a couple of benignly drunk Irishmen towards a taxi rack.

    Glad to hear it. And they shipped a lot of people.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Steve Barnes, in reply to Richard Grevers,

    There is a single upside to Smiley John: Thoughts of "that nice Mr Key" might divert the wizened from voting for "That nice Mr Peters".

    Dare I say it? Even that "Nice Mr Peters" has some good points.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report

  • Richard Llewellyn,

    I was at the Ireland v Australia game on Saturday (fantastic atmosphere by the way, and the rendition of Whisky in the Jar that rang around the stadium at the end sent some Irish fans nearby into a joyous frenzy), but I have to comment about one of the worse pieces of security heavy-handedness I've ever seen.

    Three young Wallaby fans stripped down to speedos and surf-livesaving helmets early into the game. Good on them, given the temperature they were much braver than me. The crowd got into the craic, plenty of Irish fans had their photos taken with the intrepid trio, all good banter. Just before kick-off, security and police arrived, and simply hooked them. No 'put your shirts on lads', no 'can you stop having so much fun with the other fans', no 'see how NZ can put on a good-natured RWC', just gone. Evicted. Despite the pleas of the Irish and Wallaby fans around them. I was astonished at the approach.

    Mt Albert • Since Nov 2006 • 399 posts Report

  • Richard Llewellyn,

    Sorry - meant to say just before half-time, so at least they saw half the game.

    I couldn't imagine Phoenix fans in Wellington taking kindly to being prevented from taking their shirts off :)

    Mt Albert • Since Nov 2006 • 399 posts Report

  • Paul Campbell,

    um - but hasn't this whole Auckland party central storm-in-a-teacup thing been driven by electioneering on National's part, trying to make McCully and the Nats look positive and jumping in to do the right thing, and that evil lefty proxy-Labour council bad in comparison - at least many of the people I've talked about it with here seem to think it has little to do with reality unless you do think it's an election campaign by another name

    Dunedin • Since Nov 2006 • 2623 posts Report

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Richard Llewellyn,

    How utterly, utterly absurd.

    I suppose it was a "miracle" no one caught a fucking cold or something.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Paul Campbell,

    um – but hasn’t this whole Auckland party central storm-in-a-teacup thing been driven by electioneering on National’s part, trying to make McCully and the Nats look positive and jumping in to do the right thing, and that evil lefty proxy-Labour council bad in comparison

    Yes, but I remain of the view that McCully's actions were much more about the minister's butt-covering panic attack than a planned strategy to deal to the mayor and his council.

    The "Labour are being negative ninnies" thing was just a spin line to avoid talking about McCully in Parliament. Ironically, the international media stories about the opening night problems only came after the "take control" press conference.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Richard Llewellyn,

    I couldn’t imagine Phoenix fans in Wellington taking kindly to being prevented from taking their shirts off :)

    In which sense it's a bit like the security guards I described in the post -- over-eager security sometimes has a counterproductive effect.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Paul Campbell,

    (I think my point is that from here at least it looks like National playing for an Auckland audience, but not running a campaign in the rest of the country - there's all sorts of nuanced stuff going on in that issue that means nothing to most of the rest of us)

    Dunedin • Since Nov 2006 • 2623 posts Report

  • Bart Janssen, in reply to Richard Llewellyn,

    No ‘put your shirts on lads’, no ‘can you stop having so much fun with the other fans’, no ‘see how NZ can put on a good-natured RWC’, just gone. Evicted.

    WTF !?!?!?!?!?!?!?

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 4461 posts Report

  • Sofie Bribiesca, in reply to Russell Brown,

    Methinks you underestimate MachiMcCully. :)

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

  • Sacha, in reply to Sofie Bribiesca,

    and Mr Joyce

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Christian Mair,

    I was in Hamilton yesterday and the police was very relaxed despite being there in big numbers. Before the game I asked a cop where we could have our pre-game drinks in peace because the pub was too full and he just pointed us to some places where no cop would bother us.

    Auckland • Since Jul 2011 • 9 posts Report

  • Kumara Republic, in reply to Sacha,

    and Prostetnic Vogon Joyce

    Fix'd.

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

  • BenWilson, in reply to Richard Llewellyn,

    That's just nuts. This isn't the Middle East.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report

  • Rob Stowell,

    Very relaxed cops at the Dunedin games, too. Quite a few down from Chch for the event, and rather enjoying themselves, I got the impression.

    Whakaraupo • Since Nov 2006 • 2120 posts Report

  • bronwyn,

    Not to be a downer, but there was one near-miss on the opening night in Auckland - a security guard was set upon by a group (ostensibly in the city for the celebrations) in Albert Park and quite seriously injured. Apparently only the quick thinking and calm reaction of one of his fellow guards who happened to come upon the scene saved his life.

    tamaki makaurau • Since Nov 2006 • 86 posts Report

  • Russell Brown,

    Here's the One News report on the crowding in Kingsland, which is really quite misinformed.

    Despite Auckland Transport making the numbers available very promptly, Donna-Marie Lever says that "fans shunned the failed transport network" -- which simply doesn't tally with the numbers recorded, which were almost the same as the previous Friday.

    The match organisers told everyone to arrive early -- then didn't open the gates. Not exactly the council's fault.

    According to Doug McKay, the council wanted to close the strip, but the police declined.

    And really, was it that bad? The police seemed to have handled things sensibly enough and then everyone went to the match.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Russell Brown, in reply to bronwyn,

    Not to be a downer, but there was one near-miss on the opening night in Auckland – a security guard was set upon by a group (ostensibly in the city for the celebrations) in Albert Park and quite seriously injured.

    Nasty, but its really hard to see how something that happens in Albert Park is the fault of the council -- which presumably actually posted the security guard there -- rather than the people who committed the assault.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

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