Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: We still died at each other's hand

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  • Lucy Stewart,

    And it does seem that Labour is much less inclined to use fear of crime as a political weapon.

    Which is, I think, rather refreshing.

    (As was hearing Gerry Brownlee on the radio this morning refusing to endorse anything John Banks said about the Auckland power outages.)

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2105 posts Report

  • andin,

    his family's fairy in Clendon.

    Whoops, that was mildly unfortunate

    stove in his skill

    So that would be......U damn qwerty keyboards.

    raglan • Since Mar 2007 • 1891 posts Report

  • DPF,

    As I said at the time, a smart Minister can refer to stuff such as seasonal variations. But Annette King did a blunder probably as bad as Melissa Lee's in pushing a possible linkage too far. Annette actually said:

    "They are not easy to address issues unless we ban Christmas and January." And she says this at he scene of a gang shooting!

    And bringing the full moon into it was just bizarre. Annette's defence was it was something the Police told her - just as that was Melissa's defence to her stupid crime linkage. The difference is Annette was not a brand new MP, but a vastly experienced Minister.

    I pinged both Annette for her stupid comments, and Melissa when she did the same. They both repeated something a Police officer had said, without applying common sense.

    Wellington, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 78 posts Report

  • Russell Brown,

    As I said at the time, a smart Minister can refer to stuff such as seasonal variations. But Annette King did a blunder probably as bad as Melissa Lee's in pushing a possible linkage too far. Annette actually said:

    David, King's comment was immaterial and you selectively used it -- and highlighted Power's attack on her -- in your role as a partisan blogger. I'm not offended by you doing that, but I think it's disingenuous of you to pretend to even-handedness in this case.

    "They are not easy to address issues unless we ban Christmas and January." And she says this at he scene of a gang shooting!

    That being the place where she was asked about it by reporters, for goodness sake. And not actually a murder scene either.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • 3410,

    And yet the Herald is not asking its readers Do you accept the reasons given for the high number of murders?, or Is increased violence damaging NZ's image abroad?, and the Minister of Police is not being held responsible for it all.

    And when did the Herald give Clark headlines like this?

    If this summer was under a Labour watch, you can bet they'd be all "Domestic Violence Skyrockets Out Of Control" or somesuch.

    Auckland • Since Jan 2007 • 2618 posts Report

  • Russell Brown,

    So that would be......U damn qwerty keyboards.

    Ta.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Andre,

    Remember way back when the National opposition branded the media as a bunch of left-wing liberals? Where did those bleeding heart journos all go?
    Probably overseas for twice the pay...
    Where are the headlines asking to ban all pitbulls including all cross-bred ones this summer? The press maybe aren't scrambling for legal changes now only because all dog owners are basically persecuted under the current laws anyway.

    New Zealand • Since May 2009 • 371 posts Report

  • Dave Patrick,

    I saw that Herald headline about the preschool, and when you read it, Key's name is mentioned exactly once, as "giving approval". Doesn't sound too invested in the whole process, does he? And where was he when Aorangi School was closed?

    Rangiora, Te Wai Pounamu • Since Nov 2006 • 261 posts Report

  • Danyl Mclauchlan,

    And it does seem that Labour is much less inclined to use fear of crime as a political weapon

    I'm only an ordinary New Zealander but I don't think it would get much play if Labour did start banging on about crime, given that it's barely a year since the change of government. Give 'em time.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 927 posts Report

  • DexterX,

    Labour appear spent with no political weapons or the ability to discharge such and be taken credibly.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1224 posts Report

  • Sacha,

    If there's to be any banging, better about the white collar crims who fleeced many of their life savings.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Stephen Judd,

    Why is this National Goverment driving ordinary New Zealanders to attack their nearest and dearest?

    When is John Key going to ban sharp pointy knives?

    There you go.

    (Incidentally, I understand that the reason table knives have round tips is that Louis XIV, in the days when France set the fashion in these matters, was alarmed at reports of how many of his subjects were stabbing each other at dinner and made it law.)

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 3122 posts Report

  • Tristan,

    I think DPF's tag line is "fair and balanced"

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 221 posts Report

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Where are the headlines asking to ban all pitbulls including all cross-bred ones this summer? The press maybe aren't scrambling for legal changes now only because all dog owners are basically persecuted under the current laws anyway.

    FFS, Andre -- you didn't watch the television news last night, did you?

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

  • Paul Litterick,

    And where was he when Aorangi School was closed?

    He was probably rescuing beached whales or laying his healing hands upon lepers.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1000 posts Report

  • Russell Brown,

    BTW, can anyone actually find the verbatim quote about the moon from King? I've tried, but the only actual quotes I can find are these:

    "It's well documented within the police – and we've had a long hot summer – and the view is that we often get things happen in this month that we wouldn't have happening in winter," Ms King said.

    Family and economic stresses of the festive season also added to the strain.

    "Over the holiday Christmas period we traditionally have an increase in family violence, people are at home, and there are the stresses and strains of having your relatives staying and financial pressures. They are not easy to address issues unless we ban Christmas and January."

    I presume she did indeed say something about the full moon, which wasn't clever, but the substance of her comments was actually correct. Christmas and hot weather coincide with a higher average homicide rate. The media panic about a unique murderin' spree was poorly-founded and politically-driven.

    OTOH, Melissa Lee's comments about the new motorway preventing criminals from South Auckland coming to prey on the good folk of Mt Albert didn't resemble reality on any planet with which I'm familiar. And she repeated those.

    Still, DPF did confess that it was "a pretty bad blunder" and "a mistake" before offering "kudos" to Lee for acknowledging her comments had no foundation -- under the vicious headline 'Melissa's mistake'. He really takes no prisoners.

    ;-)

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • BenWilson,

    I was a little disappointed yesterday, when a forensics expert I train with showed up, and I asked for the goss on the summer of killings.

    "I was on holiday". Eh? Bones never takes a holiday.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report

  • Che Tibby,

    I think DPF's tag line is "fair and balanced"

    i think you'll find it's "fomenting happy mischief".

    must like the NZH, apparently.

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

  • Just thinking,

    I think Labour have some new and vital MPs and it's a great shame Labour hasn't mixed things up in their leadership.

    Convergences has occured and options have been exhausted, unless we seriously rethink the entire process of crime and punishment in our society.

    Putaringamotu • Since Apr 2009 • 1158 posts Report

  • Andre,

    "FFS, Andre -- you didn't watch the television news last night, did you?"

    I caught the news on 3 and thought it would have been a dozen times more rabid 7 years ago (pardon the pun)...

    I'm surprised by the amount of violence that happens daily in the Hawkes Bay. The crime per capita rates down there must have been crazed last year.

    New Zealand • Since May 2009 • 371 posts Report

  • Andre Alessi,

    FFS, Andre -- you didn't watch the television news last night, did you?

    Does anyone?

    Devonport, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 864 posts Report

  • Andre Alessi,

    I'm surprised by the amount of violence that happens daily in the Hawkes Bay. The crime per capita rates down there must have been crazed last year.

    As someone who grew up in Hastings, I can report that it's always been far nastier down there than is commonly believed. I was at school when Kirsa Jensen and Teresa Cormack went missing, and a guy in my fifth (?) form class was convicted of the murder of his off-site remedial reading teacher.

    Hawkes Bay is very good at projecting an image of laid-back sunny provincial utopia, but the reality is you have very, very poor areas right next to upper middle class 'burbs (and domestic violence running rife through both.) It's no different to the rest of the country in that regard, it just looks that way.

    Devonport, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 864 posts Report

  • Che Tibby,

    Christmas and hot weather coincide with a higher average homicide rate.

    in fact, it strongly relates to a higher fatality rate nationally.

    everything increases, from drownings (surprise surprise) to workplace accidents. the department of labour ran a campaign a couple of years back called "summer harvest".

    unfortunate name, but based on good solid evidence.

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

  • Kumara Republic,

    OTOH, Melissa Lee's comments about the new motorway preventing criminals from South Auckland coming to prey on the good folk of Mt Albert didn't resemble reality on any planet with which I'm familiar. And she repeated those.

    It may not have been anywhere as nasty as the sort of stuff Michelle Malkin spouts, but I still had uneasy thoughts about the darker side of the 'model minority' myth.

    For lack of a better analogy, the welcome doormat is laid out for 'voluntary minorities' - only for 'involuntary minorities' to be used as said doormat.

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

  • LegBreak,

    Summer would also team to be a good time for pitch-fork wielding Waikato farmers to throw their weight around and teach those townies a lesson or two.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1162 posts Report

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