Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: The standing-still sweep

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  • Tomorrowpeople,

    Question - will Banks continue to do his radio show?

    How do other politicians who are paid by the tax payer manage to do their 'full time jobs' and do radio shows, TV shows, write books at the same time.
    Rodney Hide, Michael Laws etc....


    Banks.....


    Are they just great time managers or are they pissing about on our time?

    The Craps tables at the B… • Since Nov 2006 • 188 posts Report Reply

  • Stephen Judd,

    The return of the prodigal Banks
    Had us pulling our hair out in hanks
    His commitment to cars-es
    And startling faux pas-es
    Were electoral candy to cranks.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 3122 posts Report Reply

  • Steve Barnes,

    but couldn't think of an appropriate rhyme for Banks...

    On transport we will have "the pony of Shanks"
    On development we'll have "the Farm of Tanks"
    On infrastructure we'll have "profiteering pranks"
    On security we'll have "The City of Angst"
    On new ideas we'll have "expressions of blanks"
    On social development we'll have "Right wing cranks"
    On the relationship with the ARC we'll have "dissent in the ranks"
    On sexual freedom we'll have "the City that wanks"

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report Reply

  • Steve Barnes,

    Damn it, Daleaway beat me to most of those while I was writing. Liked the Yanks link though, didn't think of that one. :-(

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report Reply

  • Tomorrowpeople,

    Banks says he has toned down his manner by 10%.

    Wow.
    Thanks.
    Mate.

    Once a c*ck, always a c*ck.

    Do you think he reads 'teh internets'?

    The Craps tables at the B… • Since Nov 2006 • 188 posts Report Reply

  • David Haywood,

    InternationalObserver, Daleaway, Russell Brown, and particulrly Stephen Judd & Steve Barnes:

    I humbly worship at the feet of your literary prowess(es). Truly we have giants among us.

    Dunsandel • Since Nov 2006 • 1156 posts Report Reply

  • Jeremy Andrew,

    Everything he knows about the interwebs he learned from the front page of the Sunday News.

    Hamiltron - City of the F… • Since Nov 2006 • 900 posts Report Reply

  • Tomorrowpeople,

    Or maybe the Truth.

    let me see - 10% less 'Banks'... that means he is still 90% twat.

    The Craps tables at the B… • Since Nov 2006 • 188 posts Report Reply

  • Michael Fitzgerald,

    Kyle Chapman - Convicted Terrorist - Fire Bombing Marae - National Front etc now has his own "Camping Club"
    http://www.surviveclub.org.nz/

    600 votes for mayor + 1400 votes for his community board

    Tuhoe do consider rifles a traditional weapon & Tama Itis charges were a total load of bollocks.
    Wait & see - but the radar has been out there for something like this ever scince Helens rascist refusal for Maori to test claims in court.

    Since May 2007 • 631 posts Report Reply

  • Kyle Matthews,

    NB - any idea that Auckland is getting more than its fair share of Transit funding should be squashed immediately. It's merely catch up - Auckland has been underfunded for years.

    I don't mind the additional funding at all. I grew up in Auckland, I know the system up there is rooted, and money is going to be needed to fix it.

    I mind that the first thing out of the new Auckland City Council/Mayor is "we're not going to pay a cent for something in our front yard which will bring heaps of benefit to us as a city. The rest of the city/country should pay for it for us." It's statements like that that give the rest of the country ammunition for pointing out how crappy Auckland/Aucklanders are. As if electing the prick _twice_ wasn't enough.

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report Reply

  • Kyle Matthews,

    InternationalObserver, Daleaway, Russell Brown, and particulrly Stephen Judd & Steve Barnes:

    I humbly worship at the feet of your literary prowess(es). Truly we have giants among us.

    Sorry David, but given that you mistook a normal posting mangled through notebook pasting for poetry, I'm not sure if you should be handing out Nobel literature prizes anytime soon.

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report Reply

  • Angus Robertson,

    It looks a bit like a test case for STV. Indeed, I would go so far as to say that Banks wouldn't have won under a preferential voting system. But he did win, by standing still, under the system we've got...

    ...against Hubbard.

    Hubbard lost this. Auckland was run by Bruce Hucker for 2 years and he was rolled in the third, then Auckland was apparently run by no one. Hubbard was insubstantial, a mere figurehead. If Labour/City Vision had disowned this failure of a mayor and backed another, Banks would not have won.

    Auckland • Since May 2007 • 984 posts Report Reply

  • Tomorrowpeople,

    Maybe try sending those poems into the School Journal or Wizzer and Chips.

    You may have better luck there.

    CK Stead it is not.

    The Craps tables at the B… • Since Nov 2006 • 188 posts Report Reply

  • Tomorrowpeople,

    Those nutters up in the bush have been smoking too much 'Tuhoi Thunder' and hunting and eating local mind-altering venison again.

    The Craps tables at the B… • Since Nov 2006 • 188 posts Report Reply

  • Don Christie,

    To help with the poetry competition:

    From Wellington, thanks.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1645 posts Report Reply

  • Danielle,

    And probably most of the people who voted for "JT" thought they were voting for Justin Timberlake to play at the Trusts Stadium.

    And, as if by magic (thanks Robyn!) here is my chance to mention one of the awesomest things ever: the humourous attack on the giant 'JT' campaign billboard at Parrs Park in Glen Eden. Some marvellous person had printed two absolutely giant photos of Justin Timberlake's head, and pasted them over Tamihere's on both sides of the billboard. I laughed and laughed. I wish I'd taken photos. Westside, represent!

    (Nothing beats the 'STOP collaborate and listen' Vanilla Ice-quotin' stop sign on Wellesley Street, but that came close.)

    Charo World. Cuchi-cuchi!… • Since Nov 2006 • 3828 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    Wait & see - but the radar has been out there for something like this ever scince Helens rascist refusal for Maori to test claims in court.

    You might indeed want to wait and see.

    The reporting is that Maori sovereignty, environmental and "peace" activists are all involved.

    If the reality is anything like what's in the Stuff story (and the leaks to the papers this morning appear to be quite detailed) then I hope they throw the book at the bastards.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    TV3 has video of a police raid on a house in Wellington this morning.

    Anyone recognise the property?

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Graeme Edgeler,

    Congratulations to TV3, which well and truly won the midday news coverage:

    Footage of the raid itself, crosses to reporters actually on the scene, and numbers - a co-ordinated effort.

    TV One got live footage of Howard Broad's media conference but little else.

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

  • Tomorrowpeople,

    I agree with RB - anyone who claims to be a peace activist, or indeed any kind of activist, and also endorses violence or the threat of, needs to be clinked.

    These folks are scary.

    The Craps tables at the B… • Since Nov 2006 • 188 posts Report Reply

  • Robyn Gallagher,

    On transport we will have "the pony of Shanks"

    If only! Auckland can be a rather pedestrian unfriendly city. Walking is pretty much my main mode of transport and yet everyday I find myself dodging cars on the footpath and cockers running red lights at high speed on Hobson Street.

    Since Nov 2006 • 1946 posts Report Reply

  • Graeme Edgeler,

    Anyone recognise the property?

    Newsday described it as something like the Aro Community Centre. It was a meeting place during the anti-bypass campaigns.

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

  • Idiot Savant,

    Illegal firearms are bad, and so is planning to use them. And OTOH, they're arresting everyone from anti-bypass activists to students to chicken-rescuers - which seems to be casting the net rather wide.

    Looking around, police have raided a community house in Wellington, and a community activist centre in Auckland, and arrested student activist Omar Hamed (guess it must have been the Middle Eastern name) and people from Open Rescue (who are most notable for saving chickens from battery farms). if these are "terrorists", I think our police have been paying too much attention to Ian Wishart and the SIS...

    Palmerston North • Since Nov 2006 • 1717 posts Report Reply

  • Tomorrowpeople,

    Agreed.
    Every day I encounter red light runners, people who don't stop for pedestrian crossings, speedsters in 50kph zones....

    However, the number of pedestrians who cross roads and don't use the cross walks in AK city is scary - just as bad as the drivers who run red lights.

    The Craps tables at the B… • Since Nov 2006 • 188 posts Report Reply

  • Margaret B,

    Angus - who should the centre-left in Auckland City have backed for the mayoralty then? City Vision didn't officially endorse anyone until it became clear that Hubbard was the only person close enough to have a chance of beating Banks.

    Ultimately I find Russell's figures very illuminating. Basically the centre-right voted and the centre-left didn't. Partly this is an enrollment issue, and I think we will see a much bigger focus from all tickets on turnout next time. It's also about there not being a centre-left mayoral candidate to jolly that campaign along. Any suggestions for someone to run next time should be made now!

    On the issue of these arrests, I think perhaps folks should wait until the people arrested have had a chance to talk back before making up their minds? My experience of peace activists, and indeed many of those involved in the sovereignity movement and environmental groups, is that non-violence is pretty much tattooed on their foreheads.

    Since Oct 2007 • 59 posts Report Reply

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