Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Democracy Night

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  • Russell Brown, in reply to Raymond A Francis,

    Don’t believe everything you see on TV Brian

    Try discussions here. There are Christchurch people happy with the government’s actions. But they don’t tend to be (a) poor, and (b) in the worst-affected areas. Most of those people have simply had to leave.

    The idea that their problems are some TV confection is really quite insulting.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Kumara Republic, in reply to Russell Brown,

    And yet, what regulation has National rolled back apart from energy standards, electoral finance and a broadcasting review no one’s heard of anyway? All of which were backed by the Greens.

    The introduction of the 90-day employment probation period. Also, they’ve actually tightened restrictions on union officials visiting workplaces.

    This seems, then, a principal challenge for Labour. New Zealand’s regulatory burden is way lower than most OECD countries, including Australia, which is conjured as a model by centre-right parties, even though governments there impose a regulatory model that makes NZ look like some libertarian paradise.

    I suspect misplaced nanny-statist antipathy is partly attributable to the long-term breakdown of civic pride and the social compact, and the weakening of the middle class.

    What better way to justify certain needed regulations, than with the ‘Wild West’/’law of the jungle’ mantra?

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

  • Sacha, in reply to Russell Brown,

    their libertarian thread

    I'm not clear what you are talking about - examples?

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Graeme Edgeler, in reply to Sacha,

    I’m not clear what you are talking about – examples?

    Marijuana decriminalisation springs to mind.

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

  • Sacha, in reply to Russell Brown,

    Mojo Mathers -- who I really hope squeaks in on the Greens' list

    Jon Johannson was touching on Q&A about the prospect of her getting in.

    She's deaf

    Side note. As I've said to a few journos, it's actually Deaf with a capital D for the community and NZ Sign Language for their language (much like English, Korean or Farsi have capitals).

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Sacha, in reply to Russell Brown,

    New Zealand’s regulatory burden is way lower than most OECD countries

    Exactly. To me this is in the same category as our world-leading education curriculum. Evidence at odds with ideological messaging about it.

    Oh noes, our schools suck, we need national standards

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Sacha, in reply to Russell Brown,

    they need to re-frame ideas around government and governance

    I agree. Countering the idea of taxes as a "burden" (deliberately imported from neolib fellow travellers in the US and UK) will take way more effort than has been applied in the last decade. The Greens seem closer with their core message of "richer" this time.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Sacha,

    Side note. As I’ve said to a few journos, it’s actually Deaf with a capital D for the community and NZ Sign Language for their language (much like English, Korean or Farsi have capitals).

    Noted.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Sacha, in reply to Russell Brown,

    I've learned some useful stuff. Just not widely valued. :)

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Heather Gaye, in reply to JLM,

    Winston cornered the one that should speak best to all of us - "fair".

    I would've thought so, but I've actually heard that word a lot from the right. They want a "fair" society where you're not penalised for being successful, etc.

    Morningside • Since Nov 2006 • 533 posts Report

  • Ian Dalziel, in reply to linger,

    Mantroll, it's a govern...

    ...could someone please remind him
    that his only mandate on record
    = John Banks, a cuppa, and a microphone?

    What about that three way he had with
    Macaw 7 and the head of the IRB, and
    wasn't there a cup involved there, too?

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report

  • Islander, in reply to Sacha,

    t's usually Deaf Maori (etc)

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

  • Sacha, in reply to Islander,

    Ngati Turi

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • slarty, in reply to BenWilson,

    Yeah, there’s some cases. Pretty few, I’d have thought.

    Estimates vary, but about 1,500 people commute from Waiheke. I'd guess maybe half of us have to use a second form of public transport. Personally I used to get a bus every day (the monthly passes cover most of the buses, both ends).

    To me the train thing is more about the quality of central Auckland - a bit like the waterfront. And for all the FUD, such things tend to be self funding in the long term (imagine Sydney or London without decent rail...)

    Since Nov 2006 • 290 posts Report

  • Sacha, in reply to slarty,

    The main benefit of the extra rail link is to double network capacity across the whole region. Being painted as a CBD-focused thing but in conjunction with bus feeder and circle routes will transform how many people can reliably get around the whole place.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Islander, in reply to Sacha,

    O, and I thought that was an in-joke!

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

  • BenWilson,

    The main benefit of the extra rail link is to double network capacity across the whole region.

    Don't get me wrong, you or Slarty, I think a loop is a great idea. I was just countering the idea that Auckland Central should have been all woody about it out of self interest. They're the electorate that will benefit least from it because they already live in the city, so commuting just isn't much of a hassle for them. I imagine most of them would want it anyway, though, who is ever against massive infrastructure spending right in their neighborhood?

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report

  • Craig Ranapia, in reply to Russell Brown,

    The idea that their problems are some TV confection is really quite insulting.

    It is, but if you didn't take the six o'clock news with a grain of salt and a shot or twelve of delicious Zumwohl (leave the cheque in the usual place, guys) you'd believe South Auckland's miserable poor can't leave their hovels without tripping over dead abused children, under-age prostitutes, Triad warfare and mounds of used P-pipes. Doesn't mean there aren't problems, but you can make a pretty strong case that the media presents a pretty distorted picture. After all, if it bleeds it leads, right?

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

  • Ross Mason,

    Oh noes, our schools suck, we need national standards

    And that was one really really big regulation!!! Nanny statish bigtime even.

    And Craig?? Voted for the Flower Girl???

    Upper Hutt • Since Jun 2007 • 1590 posts Report

  • Richard Grevers, in reply to BenWilson,

    I imagine most of them would want it anyway, though, who is ever against massive infrastructure spending right in their neighborhood?

    The residents who were in the way of the Wellington motorway extension?

    New Plymouth • Since Jul 2011 • 143 posts Report

  • Sacha, in reply to BenWilson,

    the idea that Auckland Central should have been all woody about it out of self interest. They're the electorate that will benefit least from it because they already live in the city, so commuting just isn't much of a hassle for them. I imagine most of them would want it anyway, though, who is ever against massive infrastructure spending right in their neighborhood?

    Are you mixing up the city rail link with the separate inner suburban tram proposal that Nikki Kaye has been promoting in her campaign?

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Rich of Observationz, in reply to Richard Grevers,

    I'm some distance from the motorway extension and consider it a complete waste of money and desecration of the city. Wellington has the shortest airport-city journey of any sizable NZ town, and car use is falling, not rising.

    I'm even unconvinced on light rail. It would be better to build some cheap dedicated busways and upgrade to rail sometime in the future when the population is larger.

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report

  • Sacha, in reply to Sacha,

    As I've said to a few journos, it's actually Deaf with a capital D for the community and NZ Sign Language for their language

    Example number 1001 - along with the stereotypical leading with how someone became disabled (parallels with the undeserving poor, you know).

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Joshua Arbury, in reply to BenWilson,

    I respectfully disagree that Auckland Central wouldn't benefit much from the City Rail Link. While the project's benefits are felt all around Auckland, they are felt most strongly in the city centre as without the project all the streets will be flooded with buses and cars by 2025 at the latest. We're literally talking wall to wall buses on Albert, Fanshawe & Symonds streets at peak times.

    The CRL is also utterly critical for the City Centre Master Plan to happen. In terms of benefitting residents - remember that something like 20,000 people now live in the CBD. A pity it seems that hardly any of them vote though.

    Auckland • Since May 2009 • 237 posts Report

  • Sacha, in reply to Joshua Arbury,

    flooded with buses and cars

    someone blogged about that recently. :)

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

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