Beyond parody

Written By: - Date published: 5:05 pm, October 13th, 2009 - 13 comments
Categories: maori party, national/act government, sport - Tags: , ,

I was joking when I said all we need now is for Sharples to up the ante in the government vs government bidding war, but this government is truly beyond parody.

“Just before heading into the House today Mr Sharples talked to reporters, and was clearly furious and openly critical of National. He called what they had done lacking in ‘etiquette and fairplay’. He also talked about the possibility of private iwi funding to promote the MTS bid.”

13 comments on “Beyond parody ”

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  1. Lanthanide 1
    13 October 2009 at 5:48 pm

    I wonder if this is mana enhancing for the Maori party, to have their hard-fought television channel undermined by National.

  2. Draco T Bastard 2
    13 October 2009 at 5:53 pm

    But the suggestion that the Government sought confidential information on the MTS bid and then provided it to TVNZ and TV3 – insider trading is the word being used.

    Ok, so, not only are the government departments bidding against each other they’re using insider trading to do it?

    Anti-spam: noticing – yeah, I’m noticing that our present government has the business acuity of a RNG.

  3. George D 3
    13 October 2009 at 5:57 pm

    Has someone in the Government actually broken the law here? That’s what seems to be being alleged.

  4. Ron 4
    13 October 2009 at 6:39 pm

    There could be. The Govt. has had access to confidential info on the MTV bid. Have they allowed TVNZ to use that in their bid? That’s the question.

    It IS an weird and idiotic move, though. The NZ Government is now funding two opposing bids. Why on earth didn’t Coleman just put TVNZ and Maori TV together if he was so concerned about reach? One has to see an element of racism in this response.

    I can’t help wondering here all the cries of “Nanny State” are now. Isn’t this the party that loathes government interference in the mighty and infallible market?

    • Draco T Bastard 4.1
      13 October 2009 at 7:04 pm

      Why on earth didn’t Coleman just put TVNZ and Maori TV together if he was so concerned about reach?

      That would have been the logical call and what MTS and TVNZ should have done from the start. That way we could have had the broadcast on both – one with Te Reo Maori commentary and one with English.

      Unfortunately, we’re still stuck in the competitive (Twilight) zone.

      I can’t help wondering here all the cries of “Nanny State’ are now. Isn’t this the party that loathes government interference in the mighty and infallible market?

      The political right have their preferred dictatorial government in and are happy. Their faux outrage about the “nanny state” was solely to discredit the previous government and not grounded in reality.

  5. dan 5
    13 October 2009 at 7:17 pm

    Had the NACTs got their ACT together, they would have simply supported Maori Tv’s bid, and with a promise to get TV to 100% of NZ.
    This government is a joke!
    If you want good coverage of ANZAC Day you tune in to Maori TV. If you want a feel for NZ TV, you go to Maori TV, not TVNZ (despite its charter).
    Go Maori TV; get iwi funding; show the Nacts for the hypocrites and racists (sadly) that they are.

  6. sk 6
    13 October 2009 at 7:37 pm

    John Key’s habit of saying one thing to the Maori Party, and esp. Pita Sharples, and the opposite to Pakeha has finally caught up with him . . . .

  7. mickysavage 7
    13 October 2009 at 8:30 pm

    The funny thing is that amongst all the dead rats the Maori Party have had to swallow this is the most inconsequential. They put up with the disenfranchisement of Tamaki Makaurau Maori representation from the Auckland Super City and had to watch their climate change asperations being shot down in flames.

    And they choose this issue to take a stand?

    What are their priorities?

    • Tigger 7.1
      13 October 2009 at 9:22 pm

      Flags.

      • mickysavage 7.1.1
        13 October 2009 at 9:38 pm

        Why am I deeply disturbed by Tigger’s comment? I actually like (sort of) some of the MPs. Harawira is fundamentally a good leftie and Flavell I always thought showed some principles.

        Is their championing of separate Maori representation to mean no more than the hoisting of rectangular pieces of material on Auckland’s Harbour Bridge once a year?

  8. Robert Winter 8
    13 October 2009 at 8:35 pm

    It is a shambles, and Dr Coleman looked at sea on the TV news tonight. I imagine that he wishes that today could end quickly, what with Ms Lee and her $80k and the World Cup fiasco.

    I wonder if the Maori Party will again turn the other cheek and take this drubbing meekly. Perhaps more honeyed word from Mr Key will work wonders.

  9. Ianmac 9
    13 October 2009 at 10:12 pm

    Politically Key could take the pragmatic position and please the majority far more by getting the Rugby on the main Tv. The numbers pissed off at the unsporting sinking of MTV attempts would be insignifican in comparison. Who cares about the immorality of it all? Not enought to matter.

    • sk 9.1
      14 October 2009 at 8:59 am

      Yes, but at the cost of his relationship with the Maori party. And why? Because of a screw-up that should have dealt with at a coalition committee level . The unravelling of MP support does carry a long-term cost, particularly in 2011.

      But at the end of the day, the relationship relied on Key continuing to lead Sharples on. After all, the grassroots of NACT still wants to abolish Maori seats. . .