Posts by Hebe
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Hard News: Everybody's Machiavelli, in reply to Russell Brown,
I’ve heard something genuinely gobsmacking about this. Which would, I presume, come out in an Employment Court case.
Connected with Brown or Palino?
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Hard News: Everybody's Machiavelli, in reply to Russell Brown,
He was listed as one of several referees and his office confirmed that Chuang was competent.
Arm's-length test passed.
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The point about Brown's reference for his mistress is one of political patronage: whether that reference was ethically appropriate for the Mayor to make to the appointer of that position being sought. That is, who employs the appointer and whether Brown's undoubted influence as Mayor was used heavy-handedly (ie a chat with the appointer along the lines of "do it") or more discreetly ("would you have a look at this possibility old chap though I know there are other good candidates"). Also whether Ms Chuang was a candidate who would have been under serious consideration if Brown had been nowhere around the situation.
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Hard News: Everybody's Machiavelli, in reply to High Tory,
I hope you’re running the Tories election strategy. That's probably being unkind to the Key government.
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The more I read and think about this, the more chilling it becomes.
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I haven’t really looked outside Christchurch for a long time, so this is a fascinating murky tale for me. It sniffs deeply of US-style tactics: Brown won, so never give in, dump the bucket and keep up the front-page pressure until he resigns?
Brown doesn’t look bad just silly: another middle-aged man who should have bought a red MG.Palino, OTOH, screams snake from his pictures. Teeth are too white, skin too buffed, you know what I mean. How could anyone trust him to run a city in everyone’s best interests. Can’t see any centre there: that’s the right’s schtick these days. Everyone from Cameron in the UK to Abbott in Australia and Key in NZ claim they are centre-right while aggressively pursuing far right policies, thus marginalising the centre and the left into threatening radicals. A Crosby Textor hymn-book anyone?
Auckland would indeed be a prize to capture while the strategic decisions are being made.
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Very , very well put Emma. Much to reflect on.
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Capture: Spring Breaks, in reply to Nora Leggs,
usual haunts
Love this: where is it? Wisteria and foxgloves and delphiniums inside is unusual.
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Capture: Spring Breaks, in reply to Lilith __,
Red red rose: so clear and deep!
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Capture: Two Tales of a City, in reply to Stephen Judd,
I was campaign manager for the Riccarton Wigram People’s Choice
A short straw Stephen! Probably the hardest campaign in the city, given it was obvious Vicki Buck would wipe the floor for one seat.
I would caution against seeing the result as a Labour/People's Choice (PC: intentional?) vote: it looks very much that voters throughout the city have carefully selected who they see as the best individuals for the job, not the best party or political grouping.
If, as you suggest, the bloc votes as one, it would be very unfortunate. Rebuilding a sense of unity in the council and this city will require everyone to go beyond that way of thinking. If anyone is seen to bugger up a functional council this term, voters will deal to them severely next time.
I am relieved at the overall calibre of the councillors, given the high number of candidates in some wards had the potential to split the vote and return some unusual choices.