Bridges over troubled waters
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11:17 pm, October 17th, 2013 - 43 comments
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Simon Bridges rose to John Banks’ defence in today’s snap debate in Parliament. For one of National’s supposed bright hopes, a leader of the future we are told, I thought he was pretty pathetic. It took him a long time to work out what his point was. You can watch him trying to find it here.
Contrast it with Grant Robertson’s superb speech here. I think the tide is running out for National.
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- NZ must pursue independent foreign policy
The Green Party says the need is greater than ever for Aotearoa New Zealand to pursue an independent foreign policy. ...2 weeks ago
- New facility in Christchurch will improve the lives of young New Zealanders
Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey today opened Kahurangi, an innovative and much-needed facility for Canterbury’s Child, Adolescent, and Family Mental Health Services. “The new state of the art outpatient facility opened today will be a gamechanger for the way mental health is delivered for young people in Canterbury,” says Mr ...24 minutes ago - Driver safety screens to be installed on Auckland buses
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed news from the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) that bus driver protection screens will be installed across Auckland’s bus fleet by 2026.“The Government is committed to improving the safety of working environments for bus drivers, and Budget 2024 allocated $15 million of Crown funding over ...53 minutes ago
- Government action provides Southland farmers more time to meet plan requirements
The Government is taking action to ensure Southland farmers and growers are not affected by unreasonable regional farm plan deadlines, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay, Environment Minister Penny Simmonds and Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard say.“Cabinet has agreed to provide more time for farmers and growers to comply with regional rules ...17 hours ago
- Bill reaffirms Government’s commitment to crack down on serious youth offending
The Oranga Tamariki (Responding to Serious Youth Offending) Bill had its first reading at Parliament today. The Bill reaffirms the Government’s commitment to crack down on serious youth offending, Minister for Children Karen Chhour says. “In recent years we have seen an unacceptable spike in youth offending. “This Bill makes ...18 hours ago
- Critical milestones for earthquake buildings review
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- State of the art radiology machine for Auckland
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- Foreign Minister to visit Europe
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- First arrests made under gang patch ban
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- Better support for victims of sexual violence
The Government is proposing two major changes to name suppression laws that will put the views of victims of sexual violence first, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “We are committed to restoring law and order and these two proposed changes will help ensure the victims of crime are put at ...21 hours ago
- Government moving forward with Regional Deals
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- MSA pilot participant update
One of the ten young men selected to participate in the Military-Style Academy Pilot has allegedly reoffended. Children’s Minister Karen Chhour is disappointed but says it would be naïve to think that none of these young men would reoffend. “I’m saddened that this young person has not taken this opportunity ...22 hours ago
- Fighting for Kiwis in Trade
Delivered at Auckland Trade and Economic Policy School Good morning and thank you Deputy Vice Chancellor Lithander for your warm welcome and for inviting me to open Auckland Trade and Economic Policy School today. A Special thanks to the University of Auckland, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and ...23 hours ago
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- Improving the lives of young New Zealanders
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- Government continues work to reinstate livestock exports by sea
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- Speech to the National Quality Forum 2024
Tēnā koutou katoa – it is a pleasure to be here today. I would like to begin by acknowledging the important leadership role you all play in ensuring a quality health system New Zealanders can trust. There is enormous clinical expertise in this room covering a wide range of disciplines. ...2 days ago
- New Zealand’s COP29 National Statement
Tēnā koutou katoa. Mr President, Excellencies, Delegates. New Zealand, and all nations represented here today, are already dealing with the impacts of climate change. Our households, businesses, and economies are bearing the costs of its effects. The choices we make now will shape the severity of these impacts for generations ...2 days ago
- Latest Quarterly Investment Report released
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- New Zealand supporting loss and damage fund
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- Gang crackdown begins at stroke of midnight
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- LGFA increases borrowing capacity to support high growth councils
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- Temporary Traffic Management costs revealed
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- Protecting New Zealand from foreign interference
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- Significant milestone for Canterbury Road of National Significance
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- New diplomatic appointments
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- Red Tape Tipline goes live
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- Youth Parliament 2025 announced
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- Police stats show promising change
After nearly a year in Government, Kiwis have seen significant change across law and order with promising early results shown across some Police statistics, says Police Minister Mark Mitchell. “In August 2023, I told New Zealanders that if they had not started to see a change in public safety within ...4 days ago
- Better coordination of anti-scam efforts
With the launch of Fraud Awareness Week, the Government is committing to new coordination efforts across industry and government to combat online scams, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says. “Online financial scams are a growing problem for New Zealand. New data released today shows that Kiwis lost nearly ...4 days ago
- Minister to consider 7AA select committee report
Minister for Children Karen Chhour will consider the recommendations made by the Social Services and Community Committee in its report back to Parliament on the Oranga Tamariki (Repeal of Section 7AA) Amendment Bill. “I want to thank the people who made submissions and those who appeared before the committee in ...4 days ago
- Defence Minister to attend ASEAN meeting
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- Launching the White Ribbon Ride
The Minister for the Prevention of Family and Sexual Violence, Karen Chhour, was on hand to wish riders well at the start of the North Island leg of the White Ribbon Ride in Whakatāne this morning. The ride helps mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, ...5 days ago
- Construction to begin on next stage of Papakura to Drury
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- NZ signs trade deal with Costa Rica, Iceland and Switzerland
Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay has signed a pioneering trade agreement that prioritises New Zealand’s sustainable exports at a ceremony during APEC in Peru today. “The Agreement on Trade and Sustainability (ACCTS), between Costa Rica, Iceland, and Switzerland was concluded in July of this year and opens up significant ...6 days ago
- Government and iwi work together on aquaculture
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- RNA editing is the next frontier in gene therapy – here’s what you need to know
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- Humans are killing off the old and wise animals that hold nature together. Here’s what must change
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Matej Lipar, Adjunct Research Fellow, School of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Curtin University Author provided/Google Earth Earlier this year, a caver was poring over satellite images of the Nullarbor Plain when he came across something unexpected: an enormous, mysterious scar etched ...2 hours ago
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Treena Clark, Chancellor’s Indigenous Research Fellow, Faculty of Design, Architecture and Building, University of Technology Sydney Once located 250 metres to the east of the Art Gallery of South Australia, the grand beaux-arts style Jubilee Exhibition Building was constructed to house the ...2 hours ago
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephanie Gomes-Ng, Senior Lecturer of Psychology, Auckland University of Technology Getty Images Former New Zealand prime minister John Key has three white rabbits painted on his helicopter, a nod to his “massively superstitious” habit of repeating “white rabbits” three times at ...4 hours ago
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The coalition has "absolutely no intention of listening to the evidence that comes out of their experiment", Labour MP says. ...5 hours ago
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Labour claims Government is ‘cherry-picking’ smoking trends data to hide decade-first increase in daily smokers The post Smoke and mirrors in tobacco debate appeared first on Newsroom. ...5 hours ago - Smoke and mirrors in heated tobacco debate
Labour claims Government is ‘cherry-picking’ smoking trends data to hide decade-first increase in daily smokers The post Smoke and mirrors in heated tobacco debate appeared first on Newsroom. ...5 hours ago
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The Government’s economic adviser is sending a message it doesn’t want to hear – superannuation is increasingly unaffordable The post Treasury bangs the drum on ‘unsustainable’ superannuation appeared first on Newsroom. ...5 hours ago
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A man abused by a former political figure is "immensely relieved" at a government proposal to end secrecy around sex offenders' identities. ...5 hours ago
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There is plenty yet to play out, but the next election is at this rate shaping up as trio versus trio, writes Toby Manhire. A subplot of this week’s historic hīkoi mō te Tiriti has been the sight of the three opposition parties presenting a unified front. Te Pāti Māori ...5 hours ago
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Grant Robertson’s speech was superb. “Terminological inexactitude.” brilliant euphemism.
Winston’s was the real ‘cut and thrust’ recalling the history of National from earlier terms and sticking it to Shonkey at the same time for not ‘learning lessons’. ” ..parachute out of a snake’s bottom…?”
The combined astute speeches tolling the death knell. http://inthehouse.co.nz/node/21504
Thanks. And also thanks, Mike.
Spot all the near Freudian slips. Marvelous stuff.
Yeah that’s a cardboard Bridge to nowhere, lame, he might be Brett Dale..
Has Bridges had a severe head injury at some stage? He really does seem simple.
No more dopey than simple, I think he’s just under effects of Resperine perhaps.. needed after his braying ‘episode’ on Campbell aspiring to be the next show pony.
WTF was all that from Wee Simon ?
Talk about punkarse little Crown prosecutor !
Roberston actually gave a real speech.
“Robertson actually gave a real speech.”
+1
And it was a good one that actually made sense, unlike the disjointed ramblings of the drunken(?) Bridges.
My god, you could hear his speech slowing down as he was thinking what the hell to say next. brain processing a little in deficit
Yes, one thing I noticed very early with Simon is that he often speaks very slowly and deliberately.
I’m not sure whether it’s a by-product of him being a thicko, or a deliberate tactic on his part to give him more time to think of what he’ll say next, or simply a stalling tactic to ensure that for any given question, he fills up a lot of time without saying anything substantive.
So basically boils down to:
1. Side-effect of being a thicko
2. Deliberate strategy on his part to compensate for his thickness
3. Cunning ploy to avoid saying much in the time allowed
Given his interview on Campbell Live, I’m strongly leaning towards #1.
“Yes, one thing I noticed very early with Simon is that he often speaks very slowly and deliberately.”
Maybe he suffers from what ails David Shearer, He’s a stutterer.
Shearer may have delivery problems but he has a far superior brain than that of Bridges, imo. Bridges may not be carrying any dead snapper with him while attempting a speech, but there’s something more rotten wafting around him.
The strange arm gestures Bridges employs reminded me of an Aussie Rules referee when points are scored, or was he shaking his beach towel on the desert island that is his intellect?
Possibly, but I think if he was a stuttering issue, he’d probably slip up at least occasionally?
more time to think about what would come naturally.
What a sad little man Bridges is.
Did he get removed for using the phrase “numbskull policies” ?
Good question, I don’t know the answer because I couldn’t listen past that point. Did I miss anything worthwhile?
No he could not even keep that line of horseshit up for the full 10 mins, petered out completely after 5 mins and 10 seconds. That alone should tell Banks even his mates think he’s toast.
Didn’t watch much past the “numbskull” comment, I’ve got better use of time to make, than watch the disgace which is our lifes energy funded parliament “in effect”
Wow, that’s a shoo in for the weirdest comment of the day.
Who knew the end game of Project Onan was to build a better random word generator?
laughed out loud 😀 (apologies muz, however, Lauda willa Finem)
He speaks like his jaw is wired shut to stop the retardation from slipping out
and he was a Crown Prosecutor?
hahahahahaha
i agree with you about the speech emanating from around a jaw tightly wired shut, there is something deeply disturbing going on just in behind wee simple Simon’s frontal lobe, on the odd occasion if you watch Him closely you will see a ‘flash’ of something across His eyes,(as if a rat has flicked it’s tail),
The tightly wired jaw tho i believe is caused by the power rush Bridges still gets from having been elected to the Parliament in the first place, His very being gives off the impression that He is about to burst into shouting that ‘He is in charge here and why should He justify or have to explain anything to anyone’,
Nick Smith in my opinion is also afflicted with the same ailment, the power rush of being made deputy under Doctor Dullard Don Brash is said to have had Nick running round the corridors of the Parliament barking orders at everyone, including the Labour opposition MP’s…
I think it might actually be a cop thing, being trained to speak slowly for the court recorder, and a tone that someone might confuse with gravitas.
“it might actually be a cop thing”
So he’s thick in other words…
http://abcnews.go.com/US/court-oks-barring-high-iqs-cops/story?id=95836
In the olden days of stenographers we had to speak so slowly and pause when pages ended… he may be too young to have it as an excuse. Prosecuting lawyers have always been notoriously boring speakers…
What made me Lol was SB, in the debating chamber, impugning Metirei Turei, saying he expected higher standards from a lawyer! Pure comedy gold. Since The Government killed TVNZ7, parliarmentary TV is the most entertaining farce in our biased media.
Simon and Katrina Shanks were gold on Back Benches back when it screened on TVNZ7.
What a pair of numbskulls, proves the point that you could put a blue rosette on a sheep and the people in those electorates would vote for it.
Or a yellow/blue rosette on a muppett, have a cuppa tea and bingo.
Don’t underestimate Simon.
He is smart and he learns. He has a degree from Oxford. And his background should tell you he knows how to work to achieve his goals. And he knows the life and aspirations of middle New Zealand, having grown up in West Auckland.
And my recollection is that he was engaging on Back benches and on the breakfast programme with Jacinda Adern.
He’s got a lot of learning to do.
I thought he claimed to have grown up in TGA. Or is lying part of what he’s learning?
Ah the “Tauranga boy” comment. Said as their representative (and because he is a relatively young MP, who looks youthful enough). It was not intended as literal assertion that he spent his boyhood in Tauranga.
But I am sure you are smart enough to work that out.
It’s hard to learn to be not smarmy.
Maybe National Party people over-estimate Bridges, based on his CV and attempts to follow the Nat’s strategy of talking over people, attacking, diverting, and not answering questions?
Hooton claimed on Citizen A that people in the National Party thought that Bridges’ performance on Campbell Live was really good. Seems to me such people can’t tell the difference between Key’s slick performance of the above strategies, and Bridges’ clumsy, shouty and off-putting attempt to do the same. Bridges’ also doesn’t seem that capable of thinking on his feet and adjusting his approach.
West Auckland =/= “middle New Zealand, that would be the Tory Channel
He is still an arrogant asshole
1.A degree from Oxford isn’t worth what it used to be. I know some totally useless people with PhDs from Oxford.
2. A background as a prosecutor suggests he was a useless lawyer who couldn’t go anywhere in private practice, and relied on lies and a huge well-funded machine dealing from a stacked deck.
3. A prosecutor is more likely to know about the fears of middle New Zealand than the aspirations.
4. He can be as engaging as many times as he likes. One petulant shouty dummy spit nullifies it all.
When you have nothing worthwhile to say then all you have is noise. Both Keys and now this character have shown that in spades…
Wayne
if by smart you mean cunning and calcukating, I agree.
oxford aint what it used to be
maybe Bridges attended Cam
No, thats Sam Lotu-liga. Sam and I used to to have a continual debate with Simon about the choices made by the two institutions!
Interesting observations above Bridges’ style of speech and pace of speech. It’s got to be about personality (I use the word personality in its broadest sense in relation to Bridges) and motivation. He also does this thing when he has to spin ultimate bullshit – he drops his voice right down and it goes a bit robotic. I wonder if it was because as a little boy he was told not to tell lies, and he knows deep down that he shouldn’t really say bad things because God will punish him but the lies just have to squeak out of him. Jonathan Coleman does this a bit too, when he has to justify the unjustifiable.
There really is malevolence living in that man. I see that flash across the eyes you’re talking about too bad12, lol. He gives me the creeps. Ugh.
oh and PS, lolnats.co.nz , when you’re free. how about a series “Simon Bridges totally looks like Duckface”. He does a weird pouty thing as he tries to get the words out.