Captain Potty Mouth

Written By: - Date published: 12:06 pm, November 11th, 2010 - 27 comments
Categories: accountability, national - Tags: , , ,

The PM’s Chief Press Secretary Kevin Taylor thinks he’s above those who are actually elected.  So much so he feels free to tell journalists that an elected Member, who represents the people of New Zealand who voted for him, is a “fuckwit” and that they can “quote him”.

Or perhaps “Captain Panic Pants” (as he’s known in parliamentary circles) will claim that it’s just the pressure getting to him.  Which is better?

27 comments on “Captain Potty Mouth ”

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  1. hobbit 1
    11 November 2010 at 12:46 pm

    “Mr Hodgson later said was not helpful or accurate”

    Not helpful, anyway.

  2. Cnr Joe 2
    11 November 2010 at 12:52 pm

    takes one to know one…yr mother….fight fight
    kevs gotta get himself a seat, make it real

  3. M 3
    11 November 2010 at 1:18 pm

    Ah, that’s why John generally feels so relaxed about everything, he’s got Kev to do the worrying/panicking for him.

    Will John be “relaxed” about this outburst or will he giggle a la the Henry gaffe?

  4. gingercrush 4
    11 November 2010 at 2:01 pm

    Pete Hodgson is a fuckwit. He has these grand conspiracies where half of them add up to nothing and just looks like he’s spewing shit and why Labour allows this all I do not understand. Labour don’t need to play these stupid games and they certainly won’t do any good if Labour once again goes down the negative path.

  5. Big Bruv 5
    11 November 2010 at 2:16 pm

    [sorry you’re currently banned — r0b]

  6. Jim Nald 6
    11 November 2010 at 2:17 pm

    Good on Pete for legitimately raising questions into the conduct of MPs, particularly Crown Ministers.
    Keep them honest! Pete should be complimented. Someone’s gotta do the job. Definitely a fork wit for having sharp ethical sense for stabbing at any tangled looking mess oozing out of the donkey Government, and it is a bonus if the heat goes to panic pants’s orifice, erm, office.

  7. OleOlebiscuitBarrell 7
    11 November 2010 at 3:14 pm

    I see. No-one who has been elected to public office can be called a fuckwit. I look forward to this new standard being applied in an even-handed fashion.

    • felix 7.1
      11 November 2010 at 3:40 pm

      “No-one who has been elected to public office can be called a fuckwit.”

      Says who? Just you as far as I can see.

      Now, do you think it’s unusual for the PMs Chief Press Sec to openly and publicly (you can quote me) call anyone a “fuckwit”?

      • OleOlebiscuitBarrell 7.1.1
        11 November 2010 at 5:25 pm

        I know I am considerably more stupid than you, Felix darling, but I detected a certain amount of criticism from BUNJI directed at the fact that an elected Member had been called a fuckwit. I got that from this:

        he feel free to tell journalists that an elected Member, who represents the people of New Zealand who voted for him, is a “fuckwit” and that they can “quote him”.

        I look forward to hearing how I got this completely wrong.

        Hugs and kisses.

        • felix 7.1.1.1
          11 November 2010 at 6:36 pm

          If that’s indeed what Bunji meant then I happen to disagree with that – I call elected officials all kinds of names on a regular basis.

          But – and it’s a big but, a sir mix-a-lot sized but – I’m not the PM’s Chief Press Secretary talking to a journo and saying “quote me”.

          I still love you too btw

          • Bunji 7.1.1.1.1
            11 November 2010 at 7:43 pm

            Hello! I’m over here, just beneath your thread, on 7.2! (I have that strange feeling of people talking about me right in front of me, and I’m apparently invisible…)

            felix is on the right track btw (As usual)

    • Bunji 7.2
      11 November 2010 at 4:05 pm

      If teachers aren’t allowed to criticise Tolley & her policies, then advisors sure as hell shouldn’t be abusing parliamentarians… Or maybe you think it’s useful to the political process?

      Pete’s constituents are welcome to give him robust criticism. Ordinary voters too. But advisors are special civil servants, so shouldn’t be abusing and undermining their masters – or thinking themselves superior to the ones we actually elected to call the shots, as opposed to those who came in on their coat-tails.

      • OleOlebiscuitBarrell 7.2.1
        12 November 2010 at 9:25 am

        So Bunji, you think teachers shouldn’t be allowed to criticise elected officials? Once again, I look forward to this being applied in even-handed fashion.

        • Bunji 7.2.1.1
          12 November 2010 at 9:41 am

          I certainly don’t think that, but this government seems to. There’s a difference between state servants and civil servants, as Graeme Edgeler points out. State servants have none of the constraints on freedom of speech that civil servants may (although I also think that civil servants have a duty to whistle-blow in the public interest, but there get some tricky line-calls there). I was actually pointing out the inconsistency of the government’s position.

          But you keep working on how you can misinterpret everything people say, don’t let my explanations deter you.

  8. Irascible 8
    11 November 2010 at 4:43 pm

    The relaxed, Hawaiian holidaying PM is perfectly happy hiring a well educated Press Secretary with a well formed vocabulary. However, the situation which triggered the response needs to be closely examined for what it was. A conscious decision by Pansy to use her title as Minister of the Crown in the NZ Govt to give gravitas and credibility to a contract signed in a country where the title carries a cachet that transcends that of the ordinary citizen.
    I would contend that Pansy & her husband were fully aware that the Chinese signatories would give the contract a greater meaning than it warranted if she used the Cabinet title. The subsequent claim by the Chinese signatory that his company bought out the NZ partner would imply that he feels protected by the implied government guarantee Pansy’s signature gave to walk away from the contract and to leave the debts to be fought over in NZ.
    While Key might be relaxed about Pansy’s behaviour the implications are huge… but then Key just sold NZ’s legislative machinery to Warner Bros so he wouldn’t really appreciate how questionable Pansy’s actions are… Would he??

    • Jim Nald 8.1
      11 November 2010 at 5:51 pm

      What might be in it for some of this bunch of policy and executive nincompoops to have the seat of power in cabinet and government?

      For bringing real progressive change for society? Oh, the Tui advertisement comes to mind.

      For the pay? But, really, a Minister doesn’t really earn that much compared to equivalent private sector/speculative business work, aye. Not especially considering they already can put themselves in higher income positions, what with the things they’ve done to date.

      Well, along the lines you suggest, it seems like the price of being in government now are the opportunities and doors that would open up even more for their own personal agenda – presently, and in the future when voters toss them out. Networking, ‘guang-xi’ (relationships/connections), curriculum vitae building??

      Surely not?!

      • Colonial Viper 8.1.1
        12 November 2010 at 9:03 am

        The born to rule have an irresistable urge to…have a kingdom and have serfs to rule.

  9. tc 9
    11 November 2010 at 5:35 pm

    This is unacceptable behaviour anyway you look at it, I’ve seen people sacked for less in this PC don’t offend anyone world and for this to come from our PM’s press secratary sums up the quality on offer in sideshows administration.

    Mind you it can’t be an easy job cleaning up after our most popular money trader ever.

  10. higherstandard 10
    11 November 2010 at 5:44 pm

    Appalling, Pete’s not a [oh grow up — r0b]

  11. Santi 11
    11 November 2010 at 7:32 pm

    Hold on. Any f…..t could take offense to his/her association with Pete H.

  12. Rodel 12
    11 November 2010 at 9:27 pm

    i wouln’t mind being called a fuck-wit.
    Both concepts are rather nice.

  13. jcuknz 13
    12 November 2010 at 8:59 am

    A senior press secretary shouldn’t say such things … but I guess he successfully distracted the media from the real problems of the day.

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