Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Chaos in Kingsland

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  • Craig Ranapia,

    And hat-tip to Boing Boing. Sorry about leaving that out.

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

  • Russell Brown,

    On a slightly more cheerful note, who'd rather be in Mount Albert than Tehran right now? I know its just not about us, but its a reminder how we take free, fair and credible elections (and no riots in the streets afterwards) for granted.

    I thought something similar myself. Juan Cole and other Iran-watchers are emphatic that the "result" is the consequence of massive, clumsy election fraud.

    Although I am surprised at how many unreconstructed leftists seem to regard it as a victory for the proletariat over the urban bourgeois ...

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Although I am surprised at how many unreconstructed leftists seem to regard it as a victory for the proletariat over the urban bourgeois ...

    I'd ask you to elaborate, but I'm nearly out of migraine meds. Sounds too much like one of Chris Trotter's "courageous corruption" brain bleeds for my comfort.

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

  • George Darroch,

    Since this seems to be the Iran thread,here's the most up to date list of list of English language twitterers broadcasting from Iran.

    WLG • Since Nov 2006 • 2264 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    Sorry, Craig. Tied myself in knots trying to reconcile your position. From now on if you run what Russell described as "an odd line of argument" I shall simply assume that you totally mean it. However, that may prompt some McEnroe moments on my part.

    I think your example of Anderton and drug policy is closer to the mark than Graeme's ones upthread which were pushed by the major partry rather than the minnow.

    There are degrees of unmandated action, and most citizens are reasonable about things that change between elections. We - and functioning journalists - are suspicious when seeking buy-in is deliberately avoided when there's no compelling emergency.

    Hide's plan strikes me as a rather dramatic over-reach which as the Herald was pointing out may have adverse outcomes for National if not corrected before it's too late. But who knows how well National voters thought about the potential coalition outcomes when they voted for that nice Mr Key? Maybe they secretly wanted a bit of lash without having to own up to that?

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Rich of Observationz,

    Personally I think Anderton, like Dunne, is a good argument for a reverse threshold.

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report Reply

  • Matthew Poole,

    Personally I think Anderton, like Dunne, is a good argument for a reverse threshold.

    I think Rodney's a far better one, personally. Anderton is in, all on his lonesome, as the MP for Wigram. He'd be there with or without MMP. Roy, Douglas, Boscawen and Garrett, on the other hand, are there only because of Rodders.

    Or are you proposing that we tell electorates that, sorry, your first-choice MP's party is insufficiently popular with the rest of the country so we're going to impose somebody else on you instead? Tyranny of the majority much?

    Auckland • Since Mar 2007 • 4097 posts Report Reply

  • Sofie Bribiesca,

    Personally I think Anderton, like Dunne, is a good argument for a reverse threshold.

    At least we know where all the wee parties stand though. Anderton like the others have narrow focus and more often than not their voters are those relating to particular pet issues hence I think it does give a better representation. Act on another hand campaigned on the Hide vote to Nat supporters at Richard Worth expense which was just to increase numbers for National (remember Worth had the only billboard with his picture on in an ocean full of John Key smiley faces) and interesting that he is out of there now. Key wouldn't have endorsed Banks if this is Hide acting alone. Key couldn't explain (or didn't want to) why the rush for this change on the Supercity. It would seem he doesn't like to hang around the losers (lee or Worth) so by letting Hide do all the Business round table stuff, he still walks around smiling and Hide will take the flak. Not his problem. IMO

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

  • Sacha,

    Rudman salutes Hide's pragmatism:

    But no sooner had he talked about cutting back on social, economic and "cultural community outcomes" than he was back-tracking, quick to say public libraries were safe - because his mum would never cook him a hot meal again if he had them axed.

    ...

    Last November, when he became Local Government Minister, I wondered whether he would be carrying out National Party local government policy or Act's, and highlighted the scariest sections of the latter. How, for instance, local government would have "to shed its commercial activity", leaving councils "to the core activities that produce public benefits, such as regulations, flood controls and roads".

    Early this year, he said that while there is no formal definition of core services for local government, there was general acceptance that it included transport services, water services and public health and safety. Last week, he added public libraries - because, it seems, his love of hot dinners over-rode any loyalty to party dogma. There must be hope for a politician like that.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

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