Island Life by David Slack

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Island Life: What I saw at the product launch

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  • Gareth Ward,

    So Auckland Central's becoming a slightly hipper Epsom?

    You can tell by the houses: made-over villas, freshly painted in tones of grey with a cement garden for OSP and a stone-clad wall to keep the natives out.

    Excuse me you two but that's my neighbourhood you are taking potshots at so kindly piss off (but yes, I hate the beige and concrete villas myself)...


    I'm not (yet) appalled by Kaye - while I understand there's an automatic mistrust of anything National around these parts, having a young woman who claims marine reserves and the environment as her focuses in National will be a positive thing if she's genuinely of some of those views.
    I freely accept she could just be another young Nat who worked out what marketing means in this electorate but until I find out the real answer I will at border on the hope for the better...

    Auckland, NZ • Since Mar 2007 • 1727 posts Report Reply

  • Bart Janssen,

    Don't worry be happy(ish)

    I have a good friend who is very happy that we have ditched this government that has created such an economic mess over the past 9 years. He operates at a different level of business to me and I find it hard to argue against his knowledge. My own perceptions of the economic situation in NZ are different to his and I voted accordingly.

    He like most of NZ wanted a National/Act government - and got it.

    Over the next 3 years we will have a dictatorship led by John Key. They can and will make any changes they like with no need to make any kind of deal with anyone. The Maori Party are largely irrelevant and it is extremely unlikely that Act will oppose anything National suggests.

    After 3 years of that my guess (and hope) is NZ will want a more consultative government again.

    The worst thing about this result is not that National/Act are the government, but that they can pass legislation without any need to compromise on ideology.

    So don't worry, be happy - after 3 years of National/Act dictatorship they will be gone.

    cheers
    Bart

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 4461 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    Kaye definitely did do a lot of door knocking, I have no idea how much the Labour team did, but Paul's comment tends to suggest a certain amount of disarray in their campaign. I believe that Kaye, and a lot of other National candidates, took several months off before the election to campaign exclusively, and clearly this has paid off.

    I think so. The National front-benchers we didn't see in the national campaign were also presumably back in their electorates campaigning hard. There's a lesson in that for Labour -- and for the Greens, who need to learn to get their vote out and translate their polling into real election results.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Ian MacKay,

    I think I read somewhere that the vote in Auckland Central was about the same for National as it was in 2005. But the Labour vote dropped right off.

    Bleheim • Since Nov 2006 • 498 posts Report Reply

  • Angus Robertson,

    It was emblematic. Where once an election involved campaign meetings and the exchange of ideas, wit and banter, we now have branding experiences and mall encounters.

    Once independent groups were able to offer up ideas for discusssion in the public domain. Politicians took a stance on issues raised by the 3rd parties, seeking either endorsement or to distance themselves. This practice was curtailled by our previous government.

    As a consequence we have had an election where political parties monopolised all messages and the messages were appropriately vague. We got to choose between nebulous catch-cries of "change" or "trust". "Change" won.

    Auckland • Since May 2007 • 984 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Craig, I have no qualms whatsoever about what Key, English, Clark and Cullen did before becoming MPs. My comment was not meant to be snotty, either. (Or did you actually mean "snooty" ?). ;)

    Grant: You're quite right. I was taking a general hack at the way people say "former currency-trader" and are surprised when you don't react like you've just been told John Key sold drugs to children, or something. Didn't mean it to be a personal poke, my apologies.

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

  • Kyle Matthews,

    There's a lesson in that for Labour -- and for the Greens, who need to learn to get their vote out and translate their polling into real election results.

    Yeah. Hard for the Greens, who have to front up with almost 60 candidates whose jobs isn't actually to campaign for much of election year. Some of these people have jobs and families, and might be able to take a week off work for the election, and just do evenings and weekends beforehand.

    National and Labour have the advantage of having full time MPs who spend the months leading up to the election in campaign mode, and then go full time for at least 6 weeks.

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report Reply

  • simon g,

    What Don Christie said. Give him your electorate vote.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1333 posts Report Reply

  • Tim Ellis,

    Some of these people have jobs and families, and might be able to take a week off work for the election, and just do evenings and weekends beforehand.

    Actually, many National MPs have jobs and families as well.

    National and Labour have the advantage of having full time MPs who spend the months leading up to the election in campaign mode, and then go full time for at least 6 weeks.

    In my electorate, Nikki Kaye became a full-time candidate from the moment she was selected, back in March. She slogged it out for eight months, door-knocking, getting herself known, and assembling a strong team around her. Meanwhile, the only time I saw Judith Tizard for the whole year was once, on Friday night, as she took Helen Clark and a crowd of about 100 Labour Party supporters down Ponsonby Road.

    I don't think that Nikki Kaye's campaign was strategically very brilliant or particularly clever. It was solid, and she didn't make any strategic mistakes. Operationally she got all the pamphlets delivered and all her hoardings up and repaired. But her really big advantage was that she just worked her as* off for eight months. Her last pamphlet said Auckland Central deserved a hard-working MP. The contrast between her and Tizard couldn't have been deeper.

    The Labour Party ran a lazy campaign, with a lazy candidate who took everything for granted. National ran a hard-working campaign with a hard-working candidate who didn't take anything for granted.

    Auckland • Since Sep 2008 • 11 posts Report Reply

  • Kyle Matthews,

    Actually, many National MPs have jobs and families as well.

    Yes, but if they're an MP, then their job for the past couple of months consists of getting themselves elected. Smaller parties, like the Greens have to cover as many electorates, but only have half a dozen people who are being paid to do it as an MP, compared to National's 40ish.

    Labour's campaign was just bad, but my point wasn't about Labour, it was about the Greens.

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Litterick,

    The Labour Party in Auckland Central ran a stupid campaign but not a lazy one. Judith had to do the work of a Government Minister for much of the time. Unfortunately, Nikki Kaye and her team had the resources to take months off work and campaign. Money talks.

    I don't think Kaye had a job to take time off. She seemed to be a company director back in the Old Country, but there is no evidence of any economic activity in New Zealand. Lately, she has been described by the media as a lawyer, although she has yet to complete her degree. She is a woman of many of parts, none of which quite fit together.

    She is much the same politically. She promotes herself as a green tory, but I doubt her greenery would go much beyond swimming with the dolphins. Proposing marine reserves is exactly the kind of vapid comment I would expect from her. During public meetings it became quite clear that she knew nothing about politics. She's a moppet.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1000 posts Report Reply

  • Mark Graham,

    Weel...real or not, the perception of Judith Tizard is that she's lazy and not too bright and does nothing for Auckland.

    People believed she was there to fill in a seat for Labour and had, how shall we say, grown accustomed to the role and took it for granted.

    She was never offered a cabinet post in spite of being best buddies with the PM - not exactly a vote of confidence in her abilities. (note - Russ - I'm not necessarily agreeing with this - I'm just saying this is many people's perceptions, is all).

    She has no profile and any time there's a contentious issue to do with Auckland - her area of responsibility - she is conspicuous by her absence from the debate (to resort to cliche).

    Combined with gentrification of Auckland Central - I mean, CitRats have a Councillor from Western Bays, FFS and have you seen how many porches, range rovers and audis park along Ponsonby Rd these days (I remember when...blah, blah, blah) - and a swing to National, it shouldn't be that much of a surprise that she had a fight.

    Never met Nikki Kaye. She's 28. I'm sure she'll be enthusiastic, full of energy and it will be interesting how things go with trying to negotiate with John Banks -though they probably have similar ideologies, anyway.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 218 posts Report Reply

  • Tim Ellis,

    Paul, does it ever make you wonder that the kind of sneering bitterness you show, may be one of the ingredients that turned voters away from Labour?

    National didn't have more resources than Labour this election. Nikki Kaye worked full-time on the campaign, but she didn't have the parliamentary resources that Judith Tizard had. Three days before the election I got a letter from Judith "welcoming" me to the electorate I've lived in for the last twelve years, and letting me know that as the local MP she was available to me. It was sent out under the parliamentary frank.

    As far as I know, Kaye didn't have any paid staff on her campaign. Everyone was a volunteer. I don't think you could say the same of Judith's campaign.

    Auckland • Since Sep 2008 • 11 posts Report Reply

  • Mark Graham,

    PS - I notice in today's Herald online that Nikki celebrated at Soul yesterday afternoon.

    Someone described Soul Bar to me as the same crowd (men) that used to party at Casablanca in Parnell and now, of course, are 20 years older, but that the women are the same age as those who once frequented the earlier venue.

    What does that tell us about Nikki, I wonder?

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 218 posts Report Reply

  • Mark Graham,

    Ouch - was that a bit nasty?

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 218 posts Report Reply

  • Grant McDougall,

    Someone described Soul Bar to me as the same crowd (men) that used to party at Casablanca in Parnell and now, of course, are 20 years older, but that the women are the same age as those who once frequented the earlier venue.

    For the benefit of non-Aucklanders, can you please elaborate on what Soul Bar is and what Casablanca was ?

    Dunedin • Since Dec 2006 • 760 posts Report Reply

  • Bevan Shortridge,

    For the benefit of non-Aucklanders, can you please elaborate on what Soul Bar is and what Casablanca was ?

    Or for the benefit of some of those living in Auckland for that matter...

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 122 posts Report Reply

  • Robyn Gallagher,

    You can tell by the houses: made-over villas, freshly painted in tones of grey with a cement garden for OSP and a stone-clad wall to keep the natives out.

    Oh, God! The one thing I don't miss about Auckland is all the old houses and building being painted dark grey - the same colour as the roads. It seems like an unorganised campaign to camouflage suburban areas so they look like motorways.

    Another feature of these houses - low maintenance gardens, which end up looking barren due to the large numbers of cactuses and rocks that such a garden requires.

    Since Nov 2006 • 1946 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Litterick,

    There was a coffee shop on Crummer Road, called Spoonful of Sugar, which was child-friendly - it had lots of space for pushchairs and some play spaces. Yet it was painted black. Its was particularly joyless. At least it wasn't grey.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1000 posts Report Reply

  • Robyn Gallagher,

    Someone described Soul Bar to me as the same crowd (men) that used to party at Casablanca in Parnell and now, of course, are 20 years older, but that the women are the same age as those who once frequented the earlier venue.

    What does that tell us about Nikki, I wonder?

    It tells us that Nikki Kaye is friends with (gasp!) men who are (gasp!) older then her?

    What is controversial about this? Not all women fit the "Sex and the City" gal pal mould.

    Since Nov 2006 • 1946 posts Report Reply

  • Richard Wain,

    I know nothing of Ms Kaye and little about Ms Tizard, aside from her family name and an interview I did with her for a radio music thing a few years back when she blathered unusable platitudes.

    However while the latter seems like a nice enough lady, I wasn't sad to see the former elected in my backyard (Ponsonby). Strikes me I can't recall anything Jude did apart from appear at arty gatherings.

    I'm never voting either party myself until student loans are history, having been screwed over by both the Nats and Labour during my own tertiary career.

    Hey, I know how to hold a grudge! And, why vote for a major party under MMP anyway?

    Since Nov 2006 • 155 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Ouch - was that a bit nasty?

    Just a wee bit, Mark. And sorry to disappoint, but Soul on a gaw-jus Sunday afternoon is the kind of place I'd confidently take a posse of maiden aunts for a nosh.

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

  • Jackie Clark,

    Just a wee bit, Mark. And sorry to disappoint, but Soul on a gaw-jus Sunday afternoon is the kind of place I'd confidently take a posse of maiden aunts for a nosh.

    Amen to that, Craig. I like Soul, very much. Lovely if you sit on the wee verandah thingy. Very nice food, and solicitous service, I've always found. And on topic again, I'm over my angst. I wore a red tshirt to work today in honour of my Aunty Helen, and that cheered me up no end. I've come to the conclusion that Key doesn't worry me, but the old National (and in Douglas' case, Labour) guard still do. We shall see if he has enough stamina to stave off their somewhat rightist ideals. And I'm definitely wary of this Tolley person who's touted for the Education portfolio. I'm gladder than ever to be a member of NZEI.

    Mt Eden, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 3136 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson,

    Yeah it was nasty all right. Soul is just a bar/cafe in Ponsonby conveniently located halfway along. Makes really good coffee, if I remember right, is quite large, and therefore a good venue for a large celebration.

    Time to give Nikki a chance. So far it's apparent she's a hard worker, and that is exactly what you want in an electorate MP.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Time to give Nikki a chance. So far it's apparent she's a hard worker, and that is exactly what you want in an electorate MP.

    And worth noting that a (provisional) majority of around 1,200 puts you in a marginal seat, by any definition. Kaye knows that.

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

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