Feel the burn

Written By: - Date published: 2:29 pm, August 23rd, 2012 - 82 comments
Categories: interweb - Tags:

Crossing the line is an occupational hazard of public political comment. Especially when you set yourself up as an edgy persona. Fortunately, there’s a warning system. You think you’re being clever, but the animal part of your brain feels its wrong- it’s that burning feeling in the back of your neck. Next time, Trev, feel the burn.

82 comments on “Feel the burn ”

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  1. AmaKiwi 1
    23 August 2012 at 2:41 pm

    I don’t understand what specific events this thread refers to. Have I missed some news story?

    • Daniel 1.1
      23 August 2012 at 2:56 pm

      Ditto. I have found a number of posts on the standard in the past few months to be cryptic or confusing as they don’t have links to provide background or context

      • gobsmacked 1.1.2
        23 August 2012 at 3:40 pm

        It’s good that Daniel/Ama etc don’t know, because that suggests it didn’t get much coverage in the media.

        And it’s good that it didn’t get much coverage in the media, because that tells us how irrelevant Mallard now is. Somebody should tell him. And his puppet-leader.

        • insider 1.1.2.1
          23 August 2012 at 4:31 pm

          Or that most people thought what TRevor said was totally uncontroversial, and only a few extreme activists got excited about it, and it was their views and reactions that were not worth reporting.

          • Colonial Viper 1.1.2.1.1
            23 August 2012 at 5:05 pm

            yes because NZers love cruelty towards poor and veneration towards the rich

            I actually agree that workers get taxed too much, and that capital and assets aren’t taxed anywhere near enough.

          • gobsmacked 1.1.2.1.2
            23 August 2012 at 5:55 pm

            The “Josie” reference in the heading tells you all you need to know about what Mallard meant.

            Anything else is deliberately disingenuous, AKA trolling.

            • insider 1.1.2.1.2.1
              23 August 2012 at 7:41 pm

              I assumed he was focus grouping 🙂

              • Colonial Viper …
                23 August 2012 at 7:45 pm

                Someone mention to him that you’re supposed to do that in a small closed room with a few people, before you let loose on the world with your crazy ideas.

        • Dr Terry 1.1.2.2
          24 August 2012 at 10:47 am

          Every Party will have to carry some poor performers, so let’s hope Mallard and like will be not deter forward movement. Identify and support the strong members, try not to highlight performances of the weak.

  2. Ben 2
    23 August 2012 at 2:58 pm

    I like context, too!

    It’s like these posts are written so that the subject can read them and join the dots. Everyone else is left in the dark.

    So, I guess: Hi, Trev. Hope you know WTF is going on here…

    • bad12 2.1
      23 August 2012 at 3:05 pm

      Yeah, i think it’s called being politically aware, Trev decided that He aint getting enough attention these days so had a bit of a go at bene-bashing on His facebook, which He soon took down after getting a bit of noise from other member(s) of the Labour Caucus,

      I must be having flashbacks or something, at first glimpse that pic of Trev looked like ‘Black-adder, someone who thinks He is really sneaky but aint…

  3. marty mars 3
    23 August 2012 at 3:02 pm

    This link shows the latest brainfart by mallard that is being discussed.

    http://keepingstock.blogspot.co.nz/2012/08/oh-trevor.html

  4. Colonial Viper 4
    23 August 2012 at 3:04 pm

    This was Imperator Fish’ background to it, Amakiwi.

    http://www.imperatorfish.com/2012/08/when-youre-in-hole.html

    • ghostwhowalksnz 4.1
      23 August 2012 at 3:06 pm

      Oh good ,more missives from the Eunuchs !

    • Tom Gould 4.2
      23 August 2012 at 3:10 pm

      So what’s all the fuss about? The statement looks correct to me. I guess the ‘thought police’ see things differently?

      • gobsmacked 4.2.1
        23 August 2012 at 3:26 pm

        The statement looks correct to me.

        Here’s a correct statement: “Some old people are smelly”.

        Do you think Labour’s “strategist” should put it on his Facebook page?

        • insider 4.2.1.1
          23 August 2012 at 5:29 pm

          If improving the lot of people assualted by teh smell of old people was a core labour strategy, yes why not?

      • bad12 4.2.2
        23 August 2012 at 3:26 pm

        Go on then, show us,where are all these people that are collecting benefits and when offered work refusing to take the offered jobs,

        The numbers of them??? where in the country are they??? got a link even to a hint of a news story of such???…

        • Bob 4.2.2.1
          23 August 2012 at 11:25 pm

          Here you go: http://www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/news/6884286/Cracking-it-on-welfare-in-Huntly

          My favourite quote from the article “Money is all around me. Why do I need a job when money just gets given to me?”

          • bad12 4.2.2.1.1
            23 August 2012 at 11:47 pm

            Nice try, take a point for the effort, the question??? where does it say in the story or the later comment from the Journo that wrote it for the Waikato Times that ANYONE of those kids had been offered ANY work???..

            • Bob 4.2.2.1.1.1
              24 August 2012 at 12:26 am

              I am not sure where you live, but where I am from you have to APPLY for work, not sit at home and wait for it to be OFFERED to them. I quote again, “Money is all around me. Why do I need a job when money just gets given to me?”, this is what middle NZ gets worked up about, and this is just a reported standing on the side of the road asking questions, how deep does this problem actually run!

              I agree with you that there needs to be real work put in asking benificiaries that are able to work (so obviously excluding ACC and Sickness benificiaries) anonymously whether they have even tried finding work, so we can get an idea as to whether this is as big of a big problem as a lot of people think. This article really did open my eyes when I read it though, surely you can’t agree with the sentiment?
              Remember, these girls admit to deliberately bringing children into poverty for financial gain to the detriment of the economy, do you approve of this?

              • Colonial Viper …
                24 August 2012 at 12:30 am

                Give us a government with the guts to deliver us 200,000 more full time jobs before you start to question teenage girls reproductive habits, thanks.

                I am not sure where you live, but where I am from you have to APPLY for work, not sit at home and wait for it to be OFFERED to them.

                Yeah join the queue of 1200 people applying for 150 supermarket jobs.

                Good luck buddy.

                Why do I need a job when money just gets given to me?”, this is what middle NZ gets worked up about,

                “Middle NZ” = 25% of the population, lives largely in an unrealistic bubble.

                That bubble is now in the process of popping. It’ll be fun to watch.

                By the way, living on the unemployment benefit = living in poverty. Not exactly glamarous eh buddy

                • Bob …
                  24 August 2012 at 12:52 am

                  Those 1200 people applying for 150 supermarket jobs have the right to be angry with these girls, they are the reason that the welfare system was put in place, as a fall back for the tough times when jobs are scarce, or for when you are made redundant (just 2 examples, not the only reasons). They have gone out and APPLIED for jobs, they aren’t taking bad12’s advice and witting at home waiting for jobs to be magically OFFERED to them.

                  I don’t find it glamorous at all, but these girls are almost bragging about it. I also use the term ‘poverty’ very loosley, as it relates to disposible income and has no official standard of measure in NZ, therefore a beneficiaray living in Auckland or Wellington could be in ‘poverty’ due to the high cost of living, but a beneifciary in Huntly for example, may be doing quite well for themselves, as these girls seem to be stating.

                  • Colonial Viper …
                    24 August 2012 at 12:58 am

                    Those 1200 people applying for 150 supermarket jobs have the right to be angry with these girls,

                    Jeez you vomit bullshit. Turning the unemployed against young desperate girls with few good options, is that your strategem?

                    You bullying loser.

                    Trying to use unwed young mums as a distraction from the Government’s inability to create 200,000 real good paying jobs, which people would take up tomorrow. Capitalism offers no answers because it is more profitable for the wealthy to get rid of jobs, not create them.

                    And get your head out of young girl’s reproductive habits you pervert. And besides, most women are on the DPB for just a few years, and never go back on it.

                    Run your intra-class warfare distractions somewhere else and give us real jobs.

                    • Bob …
                      24 August 2012 at 1:28 am

                      What do you suggest the government does to create 200,000 jobs CV? What is Labour or the Greens suggesting they would do to create 200,000 jobs? Statements like yours is a distraction, governments can’t make jobs without it being a further drain on taxes! Governments need to create an environment for business to flourish, not just magic up jobs out of thin air!

                      Comments like: “You bullying loser”, “Jeez you vomit bullshit” and “get your head out of young girl’s reproductive habits you pervert” seem to be your modus operandi, but when it comes to ideas or finding solutions to real world problems you seem to constantly fall flat on all counts.

                      I may not have perfect ideas, I may not see the world the same way you do, but at least I am willing to look around and see when things are broken and need fixing without burying my head in the sand and saying “the government should be doing better” and getting angry without offering ANY workable solutions.

                    • Colonial Viper …
                      24 August 2012 at 1:45 am

                      😎

                      I may not have perfect ideas,

                      Your idea was to start a division within the underclass, turning the unemployed against vulnerable young mothers.

                      Gawd you suck. You amoral operator.

                      What do you suggest the government does to create 200,000 jobs CV? What is Labour or the Greens suggesting they would do to create 200,000 jobs? Statements like yours is a distraction, governments can’t make jobs without it being a further drain on taxes!

                      Yep, taxes on assets and capital, plus an FTT and increased income taxes on the top 5%. Move an additional $10B per year into direct employment and print an additional $10B. Shit dude, that’s an extra 350,000 jobs right there.

                      And because the wealthy refuse to create jobs with the hoard of capital they have amassed (a hundred billion or two, by my reckoning), the Government is going to have to do it for them by taking a small portion of that wealth and redistributing it into public service employment.

                      What is Labour or the Greens suggesting they would do to create 200,000 jobs?

                      Sweet FA of course. Both parties consider “full employment” to sit at between 2.5% and 3.5%. Its a joke. But what else can you expect from timid capitalist, free market based political parties?

                      but at least I am willing to look around and see when things are broken and need fixing without burying my head in the sand

                      Where you seemed to be burying your head was in young girls’ reproductive habits. And what you seemed to want to do was “fix” young girls reproductive habits. You pervert.

                      Now please, go away and carefully draft up a reply with whatever advisors you have around you.

                    • bad12 …
                      24 August 2012 at 1:49 am

                      There you go BoB, you have answered the whole conundrum just like that and i hardly need raise a finger except to add the foot-note,

                      You can see the point that the economy is short 200,000 jobs and your right, they wont be magically appear out of thin air, and, Government wont create them either, if they were going to, even to try and create the conditions, this would have occurred long ago don’t you think,

                      What you should stop doing tho is bullshitting BoB, where do i advocate that the people of Huntly sit at home and wait to be offered jobs,

                      The Auckland supermarket example has been used and quite rightly pointed out that when jobs, a couple of hundred of them ,WERE OFFERED, 1000’s turned up to apply for them,

                      Perhaps you think BoB, although in your case i use the word ‘think’ without any particular belief that you actually do so, that the unemployed and solo mums of Huntly should have enmasse packed up their shit and fucked off up to Auckland and joined the fucking line for the couple of hundred jobs on offer thus swelling the ranks of the out of work in that city and probably putting themselves in an even worse financial position,

                      There are only X amount of jobs in an economy BoB, tell the fools you have elected as Government to create the conditions or create the jobs and you know full well that the people without em, jobs that is, will fall all over themselves to get them…

                    • Bob …
                      24 August 2012 at 3:09 am

                      CV, now you are getting somewhere.

                      ‘taxes on assets and capital’
                      Taxes on assets and capital, are you talking a CGT or taxing landlords/investors? CGT I don’t like the idea of as it effectively becomes an inheratance tax, and ‘could’ increase house prices as people would be less inclined to sell/set higher reserves to cover the tax take, supply and demand, you know the story. To negate this problem, these should be audited against peoples Income Tax.
                      ‘FTT’, completely agree.
                      ‘Increased income tax on the top 5%’, they tried this in the UK and the tax take went down (will try to find the link), all that happens is the mega rich either put their money into offshore tax havens, or find loopholes to reduce their tax exposure. The key is finding a balance on the level of tax so that people don’t see a need to avoid it, and closing loopholes, simplify the system!
                      ‘Move $10B per year into direct employment’, I would rather see this invested in Sci/Tech/Production sectors so it is less of a liability on the budget in case of another significant downturn but has a similar outcome.
                      ‘print an additional $10B’ as long as it doesn’t effect inflation significantly, no issues there either. Wouldn’t mind seeing the banking sector Nationalised while we are at it.
                      I don’t like the forced re-distribution of wealth idea, but why not link pay rates within a company? i.e a CEO can only earn 20x what the lowest payed employee gets, in this situation, for the Telecom CEO to ear $4m a year, the cleaners would need to be on $200k.

                      I agree, I think full employment should be between 0% and 0.1% (once you have removed those unable to work from the equation), this alone would help to push up wages as companies would need to fork out the $ to entice the best workers.

                      FYI, I wasn’t “burying my head in young girls reproductive habits”, I was simply taking up bad12’s challenge to show people deliberatly ‘bludging’.

                      I have no advisors, in fact I don’t even have a party membership for any political party, and have voted for 4 different parties in the past 5 elections, I just try to look at issues with an open view rather than a parties guidelines.

                      bad12, yes I do agree the economy is short 200,000 jobs, and I’m glad you agree the government cannot create them (alone).
                      ‘where do i advocate that the people of Huntly sit at home and wait to be offered jobs’ I figure that is what you meant when you said ‘where does it say in the story or the later comment from the Journo that wrote it for the Waikato Times that ANYONE of those kids had been offered ANY work??’, when the clearly state that ‘Why do I need a job when money just gets given to me?’, doesn’t sound like they are applying for any!

                    • KJT …
                      24 August 2012 at 4:40 am

                      IF. A very few, given the numbers actually on the DPB, teenage girls have decided their best option in our society is a miserable and circumscribed life having children on the inadequate DPB, then it is an indictment of our society and the options we have taken away from them.
                      We have turned New Zealand into a mean and unequal place, Mostly so millionaires can pay a few dollars less tax.

              • bad12 …
                24 August 2012 at 2:00 am

                Which article were you reading BoB, i failed to see where any girls admit to deliberately bringing children into poverty for financial gain to the detriment of the economy,

                What you appear to be admitting BoB is that the DPB is not sufficient remuneration to raise a child with, you should then BoB be advocating that the level of DPB be raised so that it is sufficient to raise a child upon without inflicting poverty upon that child,

                The detriment of the economy BoB, your really f**king funny, care to share your drug stash???…

                • Bob …
                  24 August 2012 at 3:22 am

                  And I quote “I heard you crack it on the benefit if you have babies.”
                  Not sure what drugs you are on, but maybe you should lay off them prior to reading articles and mis-understanding the statements made in them.

                  • bad12 …
                    24 August 2012 at 9:43 am

                    BoB, can you not see your own bullshit???, the last sentence of your post above saying that as far as the unemployed youth in Huntly went, ” doesn’t seem as if they are applying for any (jobs)”,

                    Thats just thick BoB, where is all this work they should in your version of Disneyland be applying for, there is none BoB you have justr spent a couple of replies agreeing that we are short a couple of hundred thousand jobs,

                    Understand the psychology of ‘youth-speak’ BoB, that kid is making mirth out of a miserable situation, it’s a macho response to something He has known for quite some time, that for Him there is nothing to inspire Him about the future, it only looks ‘Brighter’ when He reads the Australian travel ads,

                    What’s with the solo-mums BoB, does it piss you off that they have a earn and when you come sniffing round they tell you to take a f**king walk boy,

                    ”I heard you crack it on a benefit if you have babies”, exactly where BoB, making allowances even for the fact that your obviously either a f**k-head or a previously banned member do you see in that statement a person with a baby living high on the hog and laughably, shock horror, perhaps deliberately, doing awful things to the economy,

                    The FACT is BoB that it is more than a little glaringly obvious that the person in the Waikato Times story quoted as ”I heard you crack it on a benefit if you have babies” is actually a young man and your use of His words to beat up upon solo mums is abhorrent as well as untrue,

                    So really BoB in summation your full of it, you operate your little anti-beneficiary whine off of mis-reading the newspaper article and then you go on to mis-understand what those kids are actually saying, i really think you should stick to knitting socks for you mother and leave the actual thinking to others…

                • KJT …
                  24 August 2012 at 5:23 am

                  If the right wing were really concerned about children being bought up in poverty they would ensure that teenagers had better options.

                  As the wealthy have not responded, to having a greater share of our wealth, by re-investing it in NZ we have to take some of it back and do that ourselves.

        • John 4.2.2.2
          24 August 2012 at 9:01 am

          ‘Go on then, show us,where are all these people that are collecting benefits and when offered work refusing to take the offered jobs’

          They shouldn’t be waiting to be offered jobs, they should be actively out in search of work.

          New Zealanders have an innate sense of fairness, and seeing people getting as much income as they are, yet are not working hurts. Low income working people are doing it tough, respect for them please.

          Trev is right on this one. Which is not ‘bene bashing’. We need to make sure those in need get help, and those that can help themselves do so.

          • Carol 4.2.2.2.1
            24 August 2012 at 9:06 am

            They shouldn’t be waiting to be offered jobs, they should be actively out in search of work.

            duh!? First you look for and apply for work, then, of the large numbers that apply for these jobs, only a small number get offered them.

            Most unemployed people are now part of this demoralising process of endlessly applying for jobs that are only offered to a few.

            • prism 4.2.2.2.1.1
              24 August 2012 at 9:47 am

              Carol
              And I heard a very telling description of the masses applying for jobs unsuccessfully as ‘churn’.
              Butter gets churned, people can’t stand being tumbled and turned over and over. They lose heart in life.

            • John 4.2.2.2.1.2
              25 August 2012 at 8:04 am

              I didn’t say it was easy! But too may give up and settle in to a life of dependence. That is a real problem. It’s easy to say give them more money, but ultimately the loser is the long term beneficiary.

              • QoT …
                25 August 2012 at 9:15 am

                settle in

                John’s got a point, you know. We shouldn’t let beneficiaries settle. We should demand that they consistently demonstrate they’re looking for work and attend seminars about how working is good for you, or alternatively make them repeatedly go to medical appointments to establish they’re still sick.

                Wait. Pretty sure we already do that, and under Paula Bennett’s gentle guiding hand, viciously so.

      • Colonial Viper 4.2.3
        23 August 2012 at 3:27 pm

        The statement look correct to you because you support Right Wing Framing of Issues. The only reason workers are taxed too hard is because assets and capital are not taxed at all.

        Beneficiaries are simply the Right Wing scapegoat/distraction.

      • Kotahi Tāne Huna 4.2.4
        23 August 2012 at 5:10 pm

        “Looks correct” – oh really? So you think people in NZ are being taxed “almost to breaking point” do you? And then you woke up. It’s a nasty dog whistle, which is why Mallard removed it. Why he put it up in the first place is beyond me.

        • Anne 4.2.4.1
          23 August 2012 at 5:49 pm

          Why he put it up in the first place is beyond me.

          Because he’s lost the art of engaging his brain before speaking or twittering. Add to that the arrogance of someone who has been in parliament for a long time and you’ve got major problems.

          • Colonial Viper 4.2.4.1.1
            23 August 2012 at 7:39 pm

            Maybe someone dared him to put it up. I’d be interested to know where the pic came from in the first place.

            • the sprout 4.2.4.1.1.1
              23 August 2012 at 8:17 pm

              He knew exactly what he was doing – its just another part of the campaign to drive left wing members out of the party

              • Olwyn …
                23 August 2012 at 8:37 pm

                I have wondered if it was strategic; designed to up the anti a bit so that we duffers will think that they’ve “been listening” and have “turned a corner” when they stick a couple of vaguely-left-sounding rhetorical add-ons into the next speech.

                • Anne …
                  23 August 2012 at 9:12 pm

                  They listened Olwyn. But you’re always going to get exceptions to the rule. One of them is Mallard. You might be right that it was a strategic move on his part but if his recent record is anything to go by, it won’t be successful.

              • Colonial Viper …
                23 August 2012 at 11:49 pm

                He knew exactly what he was doing – its just another part of the campaign to drive left wing members out of the party

                Membership revolt, please.

            • Crashcart 4.2.4.1.1.2
              23 August 2012 at 9:13 pm

              It’s been going around face book for a while. I saw it a couple of weeks ago. I doubt it even originates in NZ.

              • Blue …
                23 August 2012 at 11:35 pm

                The little Alice in Wonderland feet sticking out the bottom is making me think US Republican Tea Party.

  5. King Kong 5
    23 August 2012 at 3:22 pm

    When are you guys going to get over the fact that Cunliffe lost.

    Tearing your own party apart in order to get your own way is a zero sum game.

  6. prism 6
    23 August 2012 at 4:07 pm

    Whaleoil is such an irritant that the Sea Shepherd should take him south and throw him at the Japanese whaling boats. Their eyes would be streaming after coming into contact with him, well mine are. And the smart alec way of refusing to use a person’s pseudonym does not follow the protocol of well-run blogs that give this option.

  7. the sprout 7
    23 August 2012 at 5:54 pm

    I used to defend trevor once, it was a fairly regular necessity.

    Now i think he’s out of control and a dangerous liability. He’s had a long time in parliament, now its time for mallard to go.

    • gobsmacked 7.1
      23 August 2012 at 6:04 pm

      Yes, it’s high time he got out the way.

      Of course, the real problem is not that he’s some kind of maverick, like Bob Clarkson, or a social media liability, like Tau Henare or Melissa Lee. They are an embarrassment to National, but they aren’t running the bloody caucus.

      If Shearer can’t see the problem, then he’s the problem. Especially as he plays “tough guy” for the cameras on Sio, but does nothing about Mallard. Leadership fail – big time.

      • tc 7.1.1
        24 August 2012 at 9:00 am

        Agree, shearer’s lack of decisive action over the garner leak and now this means he’s trev’s boy when as leader everyone should be his to command and control.

    • Jackal 7.2
      25 August 2012 at 10:21 am

      The strange thing about Mallard is that he has a huge and invaluable amount of knowledge on parliamentary processes that Labour currently relies on, but shoots himself in the foot all the time with silly school boy antics.

      I don’t think his length of time in the house is a disadvantage at all, although it has probably given him a false sense of security. But until Labour can find someone else who can for instance relate to Lockwood Smith on his own terms, they are somewhat in a quandary.

      Shearer needs to weigh up the pros and cons… Even if Mallards experience is determined to be more beneficial than the detriment such thoughtless comments and actions cause, Mallard needs to be reigned in to some degree. This will only happen if Shearer understands the problem such dog whistles cause, and while the polls are reacting favourably, I doubt that’s going to happen anytime soon.

      In my opinion, Labour doesn’t need to use such divisive tactics. Instead they need to focus on informing the country about where National is going wrong. There’s no doubt that the best way to limit political damage is to not give the opposition any ammunition… Although knowing the rightwing propagandists, they will just make some shit up anyway. However Labour in most casses should ignore their baseless accusations and focus on its policies, which are generally good.

      Labour needs to ensure the public is aware of their vision for New Zealand, and thankfully David Cunliffe did a pretty good job of that on the Nation today.

      Let’s put it in terms Trevor Mallard might understand: Attacking beneficiaries bad, being socially responsible good. If Labour learns to differentiate between these two things their rhetoric will be far more effective.

  8. fnjckg 8
    23 August 2012 at 6:00 pm

    If i could even be bothered identifying a relevant pithy quote, it would have the words-Fool- and
    -Pedant-in it but the Newz is about to roll….let it roll, baby, roll….

  9. Tim G 9
    23 August 2012 at 7:25 pm

    He also put up a half-hearted apology when he removed it, along the lines of “one of my caucus colleagues whose opinion I respect…” (I didn’t know he had any respect for them by the way he disgraces the Party) “… told me this was a bit much”.

    Stupid, stupid, stupid.

    OK in the House, but complete and utter fail with maintaining party unity, using social media and campaign 2011. Except for beating blubber boy in that stupid bike race. That was good.

    • Kotahi Tāne Huna 9.1
      23 August 2012 at 7:32 pm

      Giving oxygen to Cameron Slater? Fail, if you ask me.

    • Anne 9.2
      23 August 2012 at 7:44 pm

      “one of my caucus colleagues whose opinion I respect…”

      Trevor Mallard gives himself away with that comment. It means that for reasons best known to himself, he has chosen not to respect some of his colleagues. It doesn’t take a lot of figuring out who they might be. That is sad because I suspect his reasons for not respecting them are based on personal considerations rather than what talent these colleagues have to offer the Party.

      Btw, I love the title of this post.

  11. BM 11
    23 August 2012 at 8:10 pm

    I’m enjoying this new honest Labour, quite refreshing.
    Long may it continue.

  12. Steve 12
    23 August 2012 at 8:13 pm

    Everyone knows that Zetetic is Trevor Mallard.
    Now he is gathering supporters that he has convinced to keep him in the Labour Party. The anti John Key and National followers will always go with Trevor no matter what.

    Sorry Trev, but once you and your type are out of Labour I may vote Labour. I really want to do that

    [lprent: We don’t usually allow MP’s to post even guest posts and it is always under their own name. So unusually I can actually deny the guess of a idiot. Goodbye repetitive fuckwit with a learning disability (you have been warned before). Permanent ban as a reward (to everyone else) for the attempt. ]

    • BM 12.1
      23 August 2012 at 8:20 pm

      Really?, Trevor must be a bit of a Masochist then
      Start a thread so you can be abused, I’m not getting the reasoning?

      • Steve 12.1.1
        23 August 2012 at 8:28 pm

        You can abuse if you wish BM
        “Trevor must be a bit of a Masochist then”

        Trevor likes to abuse as well. Are you Trevor Mallard mr BM?

    • QoT 12.2
      23 August 2012 at 8:46 pm

      lprent, seriously. Leaving a comment pondering the RL identity of a poster up for half an hour? I’m going to assume it’s because all the mods are still gut-laughing.

      • Colonial Viper 12.2.1
        23 August 2012 at 8:57 pm

        I guess its still up on the basis that its nothing more than hysterical satire…

      • lprent 12.2.2
        23 August 2012 at 10:55 pm

        Was watching a movie. But I’ll bet it will be another stupid (ie whale) guess.

        I think I know RL’s first name because I met him 4 years ago…

        Edit: oh Zet – you have to be kidding me.

  13. the sprout 13
    23 August 2012 at 8:26 pm

    Shearer obviously wont do fck all because for one thats all he does at the best of times, and for another, doing something would require leadership – something he is painfully, clearly incapable of.

    Then again, Shearer was never installed by mallard and robertson to actually be a leader was he.

  14. Raymond A Francis 14
    23 August 2012 at 8:32 pm

    Iam quite sure if you dropped into a bar after work that was filled with blue collar workers you could find that Trevor’s comment would resonate

    That doesn’t make it right and if you have read Deborah Russell’s
    thoughtful article on the subject which says that benefits are there for all of us if the worst happens.
    Point that out to those who might initially agree with Trevor’s stupidity and I doubt if the initial idea would resonate at all

    If you mix with people on benefits, you will come across cases that might fit Trevor’s non-workers but certainly those I know have other reasons why they can’t find work (not always obvious to a MP across the road)

    Bugger all seek to be poor on the benefit ’cause as we know that is what it means if you are on it

    • Colonial Viper 14.1
      23 August 2012 at 11:54 pm

      Yep. Nobody likes a slacker, Raymond, much less a unemployment benefit sucking slacker. But until we as a nation make the effort to focus on the real problem – that we have deliberately created an economy short of about 200,000 full time jobs that people desperately want and would start asap – this kind of bene bashing is merely a distraction.

  15. Herodotus 15
    23 August 2012 at 8:51 pm

    All we need to do is stop Trevor from gazing at his own reflection 😉

    Symptoms of this disorder include:
    Reacting to criticism with anger, shame, or humiliation
    Taking advantage of others to reach their own goals
    Exaggerating their own importance, achievements, and talents
    Imagining unrealistic fantasies of success, beauty, power, intelligence, or romance
    Requiring constant attention and positive reinforcement from others
    Becoming jealous easily
    Lacking empathy and disregarding the feelings of others
    Being obsessed with oneself
    Pursuing mainly selfish goals
    Trouble keeping healthy relationships
    Becoming easily hurt and rejected
    Setting goals that are unrealistic
    Wanting “the best” of everything
    Appearing unemotional
    Any diagnoses of what these symptoms represent ?

  16. George D 16
    23 August 2012 at 9:03 pm

    A Labour MP does not make a statement like this by accident.

    The others who tweeted the same image Trevor Mallard:

    https://twitter.com/gtiso/status/238396007203880960
    https://twitter.com/gtiso/status/238396068063227904
    https://twitter.com/gtiso/status/238396274544615424
    https://twitter.com/gtiso/status/238396377472839680

    This wasn’t an accident. Out, Tory.

  17. burt 17
    24 August 2012 at 8:08 am

    On one hand it’s good that you lovers of all things Labour are finally starting to see that Mallard is a complete liability – on the other hand it’s a shame that you are not also seeing that his peers, the tainted by supporting NZ’s first retrospectively validated PM, are also a liabilities.

  18. jcuknz 18
    24 August 2012 at 10:58 am

    If it wasn’t so sicknessingly objectionable the spue from Colonial Viper might be humorous for its out landish inpractability.
    I am all for the state … that is you me and everybody .. paying for the girls to raise the first kid they have the mis-fortune to have but it should be clearly understood than one mistake and that is IT. No more …and the state should pay for however further births are stopped, either birth control or abortions.
    The concept of the state encouraging births both inside and outside of marriage is of the fifties and is completely inappropriate in the 21st century. With machines taking the drudge work out of the economy …. the idea of creating lots of jobs for people is complete left wing foolish impractibility.

    • fnjckg 18.1
      24 August 2012 at 7:58 pm

      Good Lord! just when u thought it couldnt get any…

    • burt 18.2
      25 August 2012 at 12:08 pm

      …. the idea of creating lots of jobs for people is complete left wing foolish impractibility.

      Most left wing thinking is foolish impracticability but it get popular support so it gains votes.

      One day the loopy left will face the fact their notion of creating a fairer society by trying to stop the achievers from achieving is folly – till then we are probably stuck in a cycle of continually retrying the failed experiment one more time believing it will work this time.

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  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #15
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  • Feline Friends and Fragile Fauna The Complexities of Cats in New Zealand’s Conservation Efforts

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  • Arguing over a moot point.
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  • Sad tales from the left
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  • Minister to Europe for OECD meeting, Anzac Day
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  • Comprehensive Partnership the goal for NZ and the Philippines
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  • Taupō takes pole position
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  • Government focused on getting people into work
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  • Clean energy key driver to reducing emissions
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  • Thailand and NZ to agree to Strategic Partnership
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  • Government consults on extending coastal permits for ports
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  • Inflation coming down, but more work to do
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  • School attendance restored as a priority in health advice
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  • Unnecessary bureaucracy cut in oceans sector
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  • Removing red tape to help early learners thrive
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  • McClay reaffirms strong NZ-China trade relationship
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  • Antarctica New Zealand Board appointments
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  • Joint US and NZ declaration
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  • Government redress for Te Korowai o Wainuiārua
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  • Focus on outstanding minerals permit applications
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  • Applications open for NZ-Ireland Research Call
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  • Tenancy rules changes to improve rental market
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  • Boosting NZ’s trade and agricultural relationship with China
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  • Freshwater farm plan systems to be improved
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