tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post1654332202291097439..comments2024-03-29T03:41:12.499+13:00Comments on Bowalley Road: Can Labour Still Win?Chris Trotterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09081613281183460899noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post-3046234908135681562020-06-26T08:49:59.615+12:002020-06-26T08:49:59.615+12:00Great column. Bang on.
Early election - Winston ...Great column. Bang on. <br />Early election - Winston is as destructive force - she could call it any time by saying she's lost confidence in Wionston and his lack of support.<br />Charles BCharles Bagnallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14649953851748965157noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post-42245167759996775132020-06-25T18:08:23.224+12:002020-06-25T18:08:23.224+12:00A labour party is supposed to be looking after the...A labour party is supposed to be looking after the working class (not the woking class)<br /><br />https://twitter.com/JohnHur44625225/status/1275272235796688896John Hurleynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post-39527699777664684962020-06-25T14:44:43.709+12:002020-06-25T14:44:43.709+12:00Chris , interesting your comment re Auck central s...Chris , interesting your comment re Auck central split voting cos I wondered if that might come up .<br />Now a bit of personal insight regarding myself and how I see Jacinda .<br />Last election I almost voted labour for the first time due to the arrival of Jacinda , however took the middle ground ( which defines me as a voter ) and went with Winston not caring who he went into coalition with seeing his balance needed either left or right .<br />During the first few weeks if lockdown I thought I'm going to vote for Jacinda this time ,,,,then redefining elimination , not showing leadership with incompetent ministers , not owning anything with the border fuck ups , and all the time Dog Tucker Muller as you referred to him gaining traction , so now it's looking like I might vote national cos as much as I admire Jacinda s communication and empathy , there still needs to be competence and good judgement<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post-19600958753750055242020-06-24T13:34:03.169+12:002020-06-24T13:34:03.169+12:00"The trouble is that Ardern and her team have..."The trouble is that Ardern and her team have been shown to be woefully incompetent"<br /><br />But more competent than conservative governments in Brazil, the USA, Germany, Britain, a centrist government in Sweden with right wing influences, and any number of right-wing governments in Eastern Europe. But no, someone has to politicise it. And they let a couple of people through the net, maybe someone should lose their job over that, but the leader of the opposition wants to import 10,000 students. And they won't be from places where Covid 19 has been overcome.<br /><br />Honestly you hear some really stupid things on this blog at times like "it's a pity someone like Susie Wiles got the Prime Minister's ear" gosh yes it's really sad that a microbiologist should be asked to advise the government on viruses. Who should we be asking about this, diesel mechanics? Are microbiologists and epidemiologists all communists or something? Why are they being demonised? It's this sort of mindset that leads to things like the anti-vax movement and all sorts of quack medicines. It's a sad reflection on modern society that we prefer to trust some eejit on the Internet with a big mouth rather than actual experts. Guerilla Surgeonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03427876447124021423noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post-21086598498809988362020-06-24T13:16:29.692+12:002020-06-24T13:16:29.692+12:00Thanks for the comments Greywarbler, to be clear I...Thanks for the comments Greywarbler, to be clear I was relating, in keeping with the theme of the post, to what I see as the public perception.<br />Since you're interested I will give you my own thoughts on the performance of this government; no fence sitting. <br /><br />The decision to shut down charter schools was foolish and ideologically driven, these schools were providing real help for kids falling through the cracks in the state system.<br />Shutting down oil and gas exploration likewise with no tangible benefit and creates serious looming problems for households, industry and overall energy security. <br />The failure to implement the Kermedec marine reserve and proper surveillance of our inshore fisheries is bad news for our marine life, I'm not happy with that.<br /><br />The failure to complete even a fraction of the promised Kiwibuild programme, the tree planting and child poverty failures, Shane's nephs off the couch and the just announced mothballing of the light rail I'm less concerned with as they were probably unrealistic or were just bad ideas to start with. A lot of folk will just them as complete failures.<br /><br />The planned anti-speech legislation and continued appeasement of radical separatists I'm very concerned with on a fundamental level of principle.<br />So no, I'm not impressed with this government and hope we see the back of them at the next election, I feel genuinely fearful for the future of our country if Labour have another three years.<br /><br />I'm not impressed with the comments above for the press to back off on criticism of the government. They seem remarkably tame when compared to most other countries as it is. David Georgehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04883628159193125307noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post-65628997356768450922020-06-24T10:31:44.144+12:002020-06-24T10:31:44.144+12:00We know David Clark is incompetent but it is too c...We know David Clark is incompetent but it is too close to the elections to bring in a new minister, just get a fixer to look after him.Megan Woods is that type of person. But just think, Von Muller as prime minister? Jeez!petes new writehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00256560029674496199noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post-56736808802474546422020-06-24T08:59:05.352+12:002020-06-24T08:59:05.352+12:00The problem is she's not really a steel capped...The problem is she's not really a steel capped boots sort of girl..and anyway gross incompetence is sort of hard to ignore. You're right taking the fight to Winston and calling an early election is now her only chance..but she can't do that as she may still need him after the electionGJEnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post-19290955842309147832020-06-23T22:45:50.746+12:002020-06-23T22:45:50.746+12:00I suppose so.
Being a politico-head I've been...I suppose so.<br /><br />Being a politico-head I've been, as I often am, ignorant of the surface media. Climate change is pretty irrelevant up there. This decade being the last year before WW 2 for the species.<br /><br />I don't think for a sec anyone beyond the ring road, if they are as insulated as me (in my different way), cares much about this media kerfuffle.<br /><br />But why do we have to 'hope' still about the parties we vote for?<br /><br />Not being bright enough to 'work the numbers' I will continue to speak my idea of truth straight as per my socialist G. grandfather, which denied him a place in the first Labour Govt's upper house.<br /><br />sumsuchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03133092096534660472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post-48651554387276935682020-06-23T18:36:48.027+12:002020-06-23T18:36:48.027+12:00kiwidave
When you get to the golden gate of heaven...kiwidave<br />When you get to the golden gate of heaven you will still be complaining. <br />I hope you get out in your community and do stuff that will improve things for all the people around you. I get p'd off at those sitting on the fence and passing judgment - too many chiefs and not enough indians seems to be the NZ way. Too many people knowing how it should be done, and not enough both making sure the methods are changed, and helping to do the tasks as well, to ensure things are done better. It usually requires the two actions together to get things right.greywarblernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post-21254524825323728322020-06-23T17:26:43.648+12:002020-06-23T17:26:43.648+12:00Jacinda Ardern is such a competent leader she is r...Jacinda Ardern is such a competent leader she is recognised as such world wide. However in the small minds of a certain local political tribe she apparently is the opposite. Don't you just love our very own tribal wars, beats Netflix any day.<br /><br />Roll on election day I say and all that blueish blood splattered on the screens.Katnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post-63357777144526774982020-06-23T16:53:21.640+12:002020-06-23T16:53:21.640+12:00Boris
You are so right. There are sections of the...Boris<br /><br />You are so right. There are sections of the sad NZ media bubble that 1., have never accepted the legitimacy of the Ardern Govt and/or 2. See NZ as the centre of the universe where the rest of the 6bn inhabitants of Mother Earth look on with bated breath to see and comment on how we do stuff like Covid.. Well.. it aint so. it's time NZ media prima donnas recognised that NZ's insignificant on the world stage with the only mentions we ever get here in Aus even solely relate to the Massacre, the Cop killing and the reopening of Rugby. The results, however NZ has achieved them in these plague times are to be celebrated not whinged about. Andrew Nicholsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post-60153516825782152972020-06-23T16:00:53.000+12:002020-06-23T16:00:53.000+12:00I wasn't sure if this was entirely satire. Ser...I wasn't sure if this was entirely satire. Seriously, "Now it’s just one big ball of tangled wool, an all the media kitty-cats’ little claws are giving it hell"<br />and "Saint Ashley has had his angel’s wings ripped bloodily from his back"<br /><br />Really? I did read the breathless 'Hero to Zero' story on Bloomfield some days back. (Actually, more brainless than breathless). Watching Bloomfield's presser today - the first time for weeks - just made me aware how complex some of his answers must seem to the assembled scribes. Because their comprehension skills certainly were not up to it, judging by the questions being asked.<br /><br />Perhaps your article is a call to arms. <br /><br />Nevertheless 'Some in the media need to calm down' as Jack Vowles notes is this counter-factual.<br /> <br />https://www.newsroom.co.nz/ideasroom/2020/06/23/1243845/the-media-needs-to-calm-down<br /><br />"This is no time to lose faith in the Government’s response. Political criticism from journalists and the Opposition is all well and good. It does not serve the country well if it undermines the trust, confidence, compliance and cooperation and ‘kindness’ necessary for New Zealanders to work together against Covid-19.<br />Let's all calm down, and carry on."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post-47684660099538093302020-06-23T15:49:03.417+12:002020-06-23T15:49:03.417+12:00Over reaction big time....and engineering an early...Over reaction big time....and engineering an early election is possibly the most foolish idea I've heard in the past week...and theres been no lack of competitionpathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08727942156598555852noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post-47175926536281384782020-06-23T14:18:48.271+12:002020-06-23T14:18:48.271+12:00Boris Important point about media role and Oppos...Boris Important point about media role and Opposition role - that I presume is why they have Question Time in Parliament, when they arise and ask the PM or someone, whether they have confidence in their Ministers? That is asked almost daily, just like I check the thermometer outside every day to inform myself on how things are going, and get all the information I need to know! <br /><br />Perhaps Question Time is just a cover for the fact that the Opposition don't know enough about governing to ask any pertinent questions, only impertinent ones. greywarblernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post-39601487626220946492020-06-23T13:55:40.112+12:002020-06-23T13:55:40.112+12:00You are right about the attitude of sections of th...You are right about the attitude of sections of the news media, whose performance over the recent week has been shameful. Various writers have outdone themselves in catastrophising the situation, reaching for a full range of negative superlatives which completely exaggerated the significance of what happened. Nor did they balance their writing by investigating and commenting upon the shamefully cynical actions of Woodhouse and his National cohorts. One might have thought that they would be pilloried in the press for taking advantage of a national health emergency to try to extract political advantage. But not a word about this - providing further weight to your assertion that some writers are biased against the government doing their best to manage a fluid national crisis. It seems to me that many political commentators in our MSM suffer from the delusion that it is their role to "hold the government to account". This is properly the role of the Opposition, whereas the media's role is to observe and explain, not to be an active participant in the political process. They should pull their heads in.Borisnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post-57994263369598309862020-06-23T12:44:55.671+12:002020-06-23T12:44:55.671+12:00In NZ governments are seldom chucked out after one...In NZ governments are seldom chucked out after one term only. Since 1935 it has happened only twice<br /> Both were Labour 1957-1960 1972-1975willy_wopperhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11421027209178210028noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post-38262287393576988282020-06-23T10:47:59.640+12:002020-06-23T10:47:59.640+12:00The trouble is that Ardern and her team have been ...The trouble is that Ardern and her team have been shown to be woefully incompetent, you can't re-write that record with one speech. Credibility, faith and goodwill have been stretched and are now broken. David Georgehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04883628159193125307noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post-52166665639345171622020-06-23T10:21:03.818+12:002020-06-23T10:21:03.818+12:00I completely agree. If only everyone in NZ could r...I completely agree. If only everyone in NZ could read this. An educated view plainly spoken.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01375725506549161289noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post-56041760874297324432020-06-23T10:09:44.826+12:002020-06-23T10:09:44.826+12:00That is a very interesting scenario there! What yo...That is a very interesting scenario there! What you describe in your last paragraphs could happen, I suppose, and it may be something that might be being considered. But personally I think the appointment of Megan Woods was a very good one. She is known as a capable "fixer" and it has given me, and others I have spoken to, confidence that the action required to get back on track has been done quickly and decisively. We have a wee way to go, but I think we'll be back on track by the end of a couple of weeks once all of the testing of contacts of the two women are confirmed, and the following up of anyone who left quarantine without having a negative test first - and hopefully all found to be negative. Someone on another blog site I read over the past day or so says there have been no emergency admissions to hospital with Covid-like symptoms, so if there was community transmission it is likely that we would know about that by now. Labour know they need to have the border/quarantine fiasco wrapped up very quickly so that they can maintain their lead in the polls right up to the election and I believe they have done this. I could be wrong. I hope I'm not. We will be watching this space, of course!Flaneusehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15484679723989740203noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post-30402116176655873192020-06-23T09:06:04.767+12:002020-06-23T09:06:04.767+12:00The revelations that surfaced in the immediate wak...The revelations that surfaced in the immediate wake of the story of the two ladies from the UK , one showing symptoms, traveling to Wellington without ever having been tested , that the implementation of the systems the government and the health ministry thought they had in place might have been a timely and with luck a fortuitous discovery.<br /> The system for controlling the disease so far has worked because we all totally bought into it. For it to have failed after all because a few people with vastly more responsibility for it's success than the rest of us to have failed the way they have raises the question in my mind as to their motivation. This is not going to work without trust. We have to trust the govt to be acting in our interests and we have in this case. The government in turn has to trust the people charged with implementing their response.<br /> But the potential for one or two individuals in the system to wreck it all with so many needing to be brought in is nearly impossible to prevent.<br /> I think that if Jacinda now sees to it that the loopholes are closed, that people are tested when they should be , and we have escaped a mass outbreak, she will not loose much support. <br /> I'm going to say the election is in the bag. Jacinda will remain the most popular national leader on earth for a good while yet.<br /> That is not to say I think that anything has happened to support the concept that she and Grant have transformed into becoming the leading advocates for social democracy though. There is some hint that Grant may be contemplating a move away from extreme neoliberalism but far less than any undertaking , and to construe labour as now representing a move to the alternative against the will of new Zealand First seems to me to be a perversion of reality.<br /> D J SDavid Stonenoreply@blogger.com