Daily review 15/07/2020

Written By: - Date published: 5:30 pm, July 15th, 2020 - 74 comments
Categories: Daily review - Tags:

Daily review is also your post.

This provides Standardistas the opportunity to review events of the day.

The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy).

Don’t forget to be kind to each other …

74 comments on “Daily review 15/07/2020 ”

  • Comments are now closed

    • Devo 1.1
      15 July 2020 at 6:25 pm

      I was wondering how Tova always seemed to have a mic in the Nats caucus meetings, but this explanation makes more sense

    • ianmac 1.2
      15 July 2020 at 6:27 pm

      Will Tova get a very high place on the List?

    • observer 1.3
      15 July 2020 at 6:31 pm

      Tova is still receiving leaks (plural) from inside National's caucus, and doing her job, reporting them to us. Good.

      • weka 1.3.1
        15 July 2020 at 6:49 pm

        True. I'd just prefer we got past the aggravated political model and then we'd have less terrier at the trouser leg journalism.

      • Muttonbird 1.3.2
        15 July 2020 at 8:01 pm

        It highlights how absolutely nothing has changed in the National Party despite their spin machine claiming she is a game changer.

        They are still fractured (probably even more so because absolutely no-one has a nice word to say about her) and leaking and in disarray.

        What the hell is Judith Collins going to bring to the table except more bile, division and intolerance?

        • bwaghorn 1.3.2.1
          15 July 2020 at 8:07 pm

          I've always been amazed at how varied the people are that profess to like her .

          Fucked if I know why . But it's a worry.

          • Muttonbird 1.3.2.1.1
            15 July 2020 at 8:10 pm

            Yeah. I was more talking about the Nat caucus. Even when they are trying to endorse her no-one can bring themselves to say they like her. It's always through gritted teeth.

    • Incognito 1.4
      15 July 2020 at 7:46 pm

      Heh.

    • I Feel Love 1.5
      15 July 2020 at 8:09 pm

      Ha!- Over in Twitter land the conspiracy is Tova is batting for Labour, as all the leaks come from National. First she went after Simon, the Todd, and now Judith, National just can't get a break! So it goes. Maybe Labour just aren't leaking? & certainly not to O'Brien.

  2. Robert Guyton 2
    15 July 2020 at 6:25 pm

    Has Katie Bradford written about this thrilling development yet?

    • Anne 2.1
      15 July 2020 at 6:47 pm

      Katie doesn't do political reporting any more. She's based in Auckland and seems to be their business/industrial reporter.

  3. ianmac 3
    15 July 2020 at 6:25 pm

    It did occur to me that the Caucus which is claimed to be so capable, elected a man who only lasted a few weeks. Very capable lot don't you think?

    Have they done it again with Collins?

    • weka 3.1
      15 July 2020 at 6:31 pm

      there's a real risk that if Collin's implodes National even further or goes down in a ball of flames that the left in turn will implode from the schadenfreude.

    • Sacha 3.2
      15 July 2020 at 7:03 pm

      Remember it was Collins who swung crucial votes behind Muller rather than Bridges. Maybe she could see exactly how competent he was?

      • ianmac 3.2.1
        15 July 2020 at 7:16 pm

        A sort of evil masterplan perhaps? Surely not.

        And would Hooton be party to that? Surely n-n-n…

  4. anker 4
    15 July 2020 at 6:33 pm

    Collins needs to be careful with her language saying she won't put up with Ardern's nonsense………….she runs the risk this sort of talk will back fire.

    • Bearded Git 4.1
      15 July 2020 at 7:15 pm

      In the same vein Collins sounded really stupid on Checkpoint when she said she can't use the government's tracer app….and at the same time undermines it.

      It is really easy to use ….she must be technologically challenged.

      • Drowsy M. Kram 4.1.1
        15 July 2020 at 8:00 pm

        Those comments were very revealing of Collins' 'character', for want of a better word.

        She can't (or won't) use the Government's tracer app, and then implies it's unnecessary to use it because "I thought the borders were secure, aren't they?"

        These are irresponsible comments – Collins is virtually encouraging the team of nearly 5,000,000 to let their Covid-19 guard down, because community transmission would be a gift to the opposition National party's election campaign. DISGUSTING & DIRTY.

        • bwaghorn 4.1.1.1
          15 July 2020 at 8:09 pm

          Yip a real leader would be getting kiwis to behave responsibly around covid . Attack on the other shit ,but covid is levels above bullshot politics.

        • Sacha 4.1.1.2
          15 July 2020 at 10:04 pm

          That is closer to what you'd expect any opposition leader to do than most of her other behaviour.

          • Drowsy M. Kram 4.1.1.2.1
            15 July 2020 at 10:17 pm

            Would expect any opposition 'leader' to do during a global pandemic? There's Bridges/Muller for comparison – do their ethics compare favourably to Collins'? I think Muller's do, although admittedly there's not that much evidence to assess.

        • Bearded Git 4.1.1.3
          18 July 2020 at 11:10 am

          Agree 100 per cent Drowsy.

          In making the nasty and snide "I thought the borders were secure, aren't they?" comment she showed why she will never get elected as PM.

  5. Robert Guyton 5
    15 July 2020 at 6:34 pm

    Have you watched the Natty caucus walking to the Death Star musical signature?

    Very Darth and Jabba, with a menagerie of oddly-formed off-worlders in tow.

  6. ianmac 6
    15 July 2020 at 6:42 pm

    Know that I'm a bit slow but whose face is on the Caucus faces of top of the page "If Judy and Jerry are the……"

    • Andre 6.1
      15 July 2020 at 8:17 pm

      There is only one person of current interest that possesses eyebrows that can shatter glass at 40 paces like those in the image.

      (if you need to zoom in on the image, on a desktop hit ctrl + to zoom in, then to go back to normal hit ctrl 0)

      • Andre 6.1.1
        15 July 2020 at 8:30 pm

        Then, once you have mastered the first identification challenge, the next challenge is identifying exactly which one is the original master lurking in amongst the sea of enthralled clones.

        • ianmac 6.1.1.1
          15 July 2020 at 8:49 pm

          Thanks Andre. Sheep always cluster together under threat and try to be anonymous in a group, but sheep very seldom darken their eyebrows.

  7. Dennis Frank 7
    15 July 2020 at 7:32 pm

    Last night Farrar ran a poll of his readers. He listed the six top contenders for the Nat leadership & invited them to choose their preference. He advised that the poll would close when caucus convened at 7pm last night. I just went & checked out the result:

    UPDATE: Over 4,000 votes cast and the results are:

    1. Judith Collins 67%
    2. Simon Bridges 12%
    3. Nikki Kaye 6%
    4. Mark Mitchell 6%
    5. Gerry Brownlee 4%
    6. Amy Adams 4%

    I'm surprised at how decisive respondents were in agreeing on the best contender and how huge the margin ahead of the also-rans she was. I thought it would be close. Goes to show my grasp of current rightist politics is rather ephemeral! 😕

    • Paddington 7.1
      15 July 2020 at 7:42 pm

      Dennis, it's not that surprising. IMHO Collins' views are far more closely aligned to traditional nat voters than either Muller or Brudges. Collins has always been popular with national's grass roots, just not it's caucus. How things change when people are looking at a career change!

      • Dennis Frank 7.1.1
        15 July 2020 at 8:01 pm

        Yes, the prospect of a Labour landslide sure did herd them in behind JC. Such evident unity will likely only persist if polls leading up to the election show National in with a chance. If not those in caucus who see her as divisive may start to brainstorm a plot or two. Or three. Depends if the faction divides run deep or not I guess. If she really does bridge the liberals & conservatives she may instead consolidate despite any plots.

        • observer 7.1.1.1
          15 July 2020 at 8:26 pm

          A plot to do what?

          They're stuck with her now, last card played.

        • Paddington 7.1.1.2
          16 July 2020 at 9:50 am

          IMHO there will be no attempt to bridge liberals and conservatives. Many of Collins ideas are actually very traditional national, but rather than being a 'wet' (like Muller – eg the MAGA hat back down), her approach is likely to be 'take it or leave'. Following the reaction to her elevation yesterday, I suspect she will galvanise centre right support, which was drifting to NZF/Act. But broad enough appeal to win an election?

    • observer 7.2
      15 July 2020 at 7:45 pm

      Similar numbers could probably be found on Kiwiblog for Don Brash, and the Standard for David Cunliffe, when they were leaders of the opposition.

      Neither got to be PM.

    • Incognito 7.3
      15 July 2020 at 7:50 pm

      So, did David take the results into the Caucus meeting?

    • Muttonbird 7.4
      15 July 2020 at 8:04 pm

      Farrar hated Muller. Proof of that is the glaring lack of endorsement from him at any point in Muller's leadership.

      • Sacha 7.4.1
        15 July 2020 at 10:02 pm

        Muller may not have had the stomach for nasty operators, hence his current position.

  8. observer 8
    15 July 2020 at 7:35 pm

    Collins thinks 1kg of cheese costs 4 or 5 dollars (Project, TV3). In touch with "real everyday Kiwis", eh?

  9. Treetop 9
    15 July 2020 at 7:41 pm

    Collins is lapping it up and enjoying every minute of being the opposition leader.

    • Incognito 9.1
      15 July 2020 at 7:55 pm

      Valse du petit chien by Frédéric Chopin.

      • Muttonbird 9.1.1
        15 July 2020 at 8:07 pm

        I just can't see Judith Collins holding it together. She will never have faced the sort of pressure which is going to be applied over the next 8 weeks and she clearly doesn't have the emotional intelligence to weather that storm.

        • Incognito 9.1.1.1
          15 July 2020 at 8:14 pm

          Collins doesn’t play to win in September, she plays to hurt Labour, in particular. Oppositions don’t win elections, Governments lose them. She has the advantage of being the underdog and has almost nothing to lose and everything to gain. I don’t think she has what it takes but my opinion doesn’t matter at all in this.

          • Muttonbird 9.1.1.1.1
            15 July 2020 at 8:17 pm

            They tried nasty in Bridges, didn't work. They tried nice in Muller but that turned out nastier. Now they are desperate and are trying the nastiest of the lot.

            Good luck with that.

          • Peter 9.1.1.1.2
            15 July 2020 at 9:50 pm

            In the old days there used to be words which specified gender, like 'actor' and actress.' The world has changed.

            Is there a female word for underdog? To apply to Collins. Is there still a word for female dog?

            • Janet 9.1.1.1.2.1
              15 July 2020 at 10:10 pm

              Ir doesn't matter which way you stack it , the new National team is still YMCA – yesterdays muck cooked up again .

            • Incognito 9.1.1.1.2.2
              16 July 2020 at 12:03 am

              Rabid wolverine (HT to lurgee).

            • left for dead 9.1.1.1.2.3
              16 July 2020 at 7:25 am

              @Peter

              I'll say it,It's bitch. No such thing as a female dog. We here in Dunedin have lawyers working for that council that thinks the use of bitch should be changed to female dog,woof wooof.

        • observer 9.1.1.2
          15 July 2020 at 8:22 pm

          It's no so much about facing the pressure, IMO. It's more that she just loves the sound of her own voice, and will keep on talking and giving gifts.

          Personally I'd like to see Labour accepting these gifts more, not by attacking her but simply quoting her. I know Ardern doesn't want to have "opposition research" and attack ads, but they can at least notice what she says.

          Like the cheese thing above – a social media meme waiting to happen. No need for nastiness, just quote her own words. With a picture of a supermarket shelf, 2020. Done.

          • Muttonbird 9.1.1.2.1
            15 July 2020 at 8:31 pm

            That's what I mean by pressure. Show the country her words in a calm way and Judith will double down. This will lead to reckless behaviour from her.

      • Treetop 9.1.2
        15 July 2020 at 8:39 pm

        Is chien a dog?

        Please translate.

  10. Muttonbird 10
    15 July 2020 at 8:14 pm

    Farrar watch:

    You know things are bad for National when the attack lines from their pollster and blogger dry up and he is reduced to posting about Trump.

  11. Muttonbird 11
    15 July 2020 at 8:41 pm

    I thought earlier today that Collins most resembled Muldoon and you'd not be surprised if one day soon she was stopped by the media drunk, then proceeding to give it to reporters.

    This columnist makes the link to Muldoon.

    https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/local-democracy-reporting/300058019/dont-give-me-culture-the-appeal-of-judith-collins

    But in 1975 Muldoon was 54 and rising. In 2020 Collins is 61 and fading.

    • Treetop 11.1
      15 July 2020 at 9:00 pm

      Have you seen Anne's comment at 12.1 Judith and Gerry are …

      Yep I agree with you and Anne.

      Drunk on politics.

  12. Muttonbird 12
    15 July 2020 at 8:54 pm

    Contradictory, weak-willed messages anyone?

    National leadership change: Collins promises "mildly radical" policies.

    https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/audio/2018755012/judith-collins-on-her-plans-for-national

    The government should have a field day with that.

  13. Incognito 13
    15 July 2020 at 8:58 pm

    Being in NZ feels like being nicely hauled up inside on a cosy couch with a nice hot cuppa and the cat purring away while a winter storm is raging outside and battering the house. Don’t go outside if you don’t need to and open doors and windows very carefully or the wind will smash them wide open and cause major damage. Alert Level 1.

    • Sacha 13.1
      15 July 2020 at 9:45 pm

      Always at least one silly uncle who reckons the weather is just fine and you're oppressing his weiner by keeping the windows closed.

  14. Muttonbird 14
    15 July 2020 at 11:17 pm

    Judith Collins allows herself to be wound up by man-bun wearing Ryan Bridge.

    "If Jacinda Ardern hasn't noticed that I'm here and leader of the National Party, then perhaps maybe she should stop being quite so woke and wake up a bit," she says.

    "Jacinda Ardern knows fully well that I'm there, so I think she's just playing games. I'm not a kid, I don't play games."

    "Of course I'll debate Jacinda Ardern on your show… I think that if she refuses to do so then she's probably running a bit scared."

    https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2020/07/prime-minister-jacinda-ardern-should-stop-being-so-woke-judith-collins.html

    She's going down the wrong path using pejorative terms like 'woke'. It didn't work for Simon Bridges and to won't work for her.

    I think Collins is a more reckless and less intelligent version of Bridges. The National Party caucus apparently agreed.

    • Incognito 14.1
      15 July 2020 at 11:35 pm

      How pythonesque.

    • Gabby 14.2
      15 July 2020 at 11:49 pm

      Those pesky kids…

    • Hanswurst 14.3
      16 July 2020 at 1:03 am

      To me, Collins comes across as easily the most capable and intelligent member of the National caucus. Even from the early years of the Key administration, she seemed like their only debater able to think on their feet, whether in the house or in interviews (I think that situation is even more pronounced now). That doesn't mean that she's good at anything other than using her replies to put people in their place, of course, but it wouldn't surprise me if she were. Her statements about Ardern there, though, look rather petulant, and suggest an insecure, "Look at me, please…" attitude that could actually damage her tough image. If she gets frustrated that easily, or even simply comes out with poor wording or inopportune phrases when trying to present her person, as opposed to the substance of an argument, it does not bode well for her at all.

  15. Drowsy M. Kram 15
    16 July 2020 at 12:32 am

    A ray of hope for the future of natural environments and our civilisation, all without genocide. We don't have to maintain population numbers, or patterns of consumption.

    "Our findings suggest that continued trends in female educational attainment and access to contraception will hasten declines in fertility and slow population growth. A sustained TFR [total fertility rate] lower than the replacement level in many countries, including China and India, would have economic, social, environmental, and geopolitical consequences. Policy options to adapt to continued low fertility, while sustaining and enhancing female reproductive health, will be crucial in the years to come."
    https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)30677-2/fulltext
    https://episodes.buzzsprout.com/n7oh3nfooiuswhpux42zgxpl8j0b

    Collapso-praxis advocates and collapsonauts rejoice – this century is your time to shine.
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collapsology

    • greywarshark 15.1
      17 July 2020 at 4:48 pm

      Interesting about birth rates. The mental health of a society may be more affected by drops in wages and job numbers through replacement by technology. It is notice able that education is not as encouraged, in all its forms, as it used to be in NZ. It has been turned into a business, and so the poor get less concern, and have to pay for courses that were free. Why bother to educate our own when the masses from overseas will pay to come here and give the barons the business and profits.

      The idea that education will save us and raise living standards was a 20th century truth that has been diluted by how we are brain washed by tv and other technology.

      Also falling birth rates for women in China has turned females from being advanced people in a modern country to being sought after in rather dodgy ways. Chinese men are looking for wives, and now they are tending to go to the Philippinnes. These are things that have cropped up which I have noticed.

The server will be getting hardware changes this evening starting at 10pm NZDT.
The site will be off line for some hours.