Daily review 18/08/2022

Written By: - Date published: 5:30 pm, August 18th, 2022 - 43 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 …

43 comments on “Daily review 18/08/2022 ”

  1. observer 2

    Sharma secretly records a "friend", without their consent, again oblivious to any irony in his behaviour. Why won't his colleagues just trust him?

    Newshub story

    • observer 2.1

      Concise summary by Newsroom editor (and former Herald editor), no lefty hack:

      https://twitter.com/tmurphyNZ/status/1560153078619598848

      • weka 2.1.1

        would have thought there were easier ways to leave.

        what happens next? They kick him out of the party and he either stands in the by-election, or he doesn't?

        • observer 2.1.1.1

          They just have to kick him out and let him do his worst. (He seems to be vastly over-estimating public support, or even interest … law of diminishing returns).

          A by-election National could win is obviously not what Labour want, but there's no point trying to keep him any more, he's gone.

          "I now support the wonderful Mr Luxon" would be a useful parting gift for Labour. National, not so much. wink

          • weka 2.1.1.1.1

            def think he has to go. Even if his claims had substance, this is just a hatchet job on his own political party. Not quite as bad as the two Green MPs in the 2017 election, but same kind of thing. If you shit on your own people, you have to go, a party can't function under those circumstances if you don't.

            • Peter 2.1.1.1.1.1

              Sharma sounds like the lunatic Trump with the raid on his place. Keep saying stuff, keep suggesting there's some terrible campaign to get him. keep suggesting things. Proof? Back ups? What's that? Who cares about them?

              The rubbish from Trump's delusions and paranoia are readily accepted, blown up and expanded because there are so many dysfunctional people there. Sharma's blathering will grow in import because so many hate Ardern, hate that National were thrashed at the last election, and desperately grasp at anything to attack Labour with.

              Last year dumbasses put out that Ardern was worth $25 million, then $36 million and that she was getting a cut from every Covid jab. A local moron quoted some of that to me, he believed it. He would readily believe that Sharma is the most ill-treated MP in the history of the country and there's been a vicious campaign all along by Ardern, her Ministers and all other MPs to get rid of him for telling the truth.

    • mary_a 2.2

      @ observer (2) … isn't recording another person without their consent a crime?

  2. Anne 3

    He's gone and good riddance.

    https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/gaurav-sharma-speaks-out-accuses-jacinda-ardern-and-pms-office-of-cover-up/KRJM6I37G3QRZETJJNBRNJNWLA/

    Labour needs to stop being "respectful" and put it all out there. He deserves no better.

    • observer 3.1

      From the Herald link:

      In an echo of the Jami-Lee Ross scandal, Sharma recorded a private phone conversation with another MP, who did not know they were being recorded.

      And how did that work out for JLR? This guy is an illiterate room-reader.

      (and before some fool says "but he did for Bridges", the opposite happened. National MPs rallied to their leader. It was 2018, two years before Covid/Ardern did for Bridges).

      • Anne 3.1.1

        Labour's JLR. And where did he end up? In court facing charges. And was National affected? Only temporarily until the truth came out.

  3. Chris T 4

    Tbf Labour arent exactly covering themselves in glory over this thing.

    The management over the issue is amateur hour.

  4. Chris T 5

    And what is with Ardern's refusal to even have an inquiry?

    • weka 5.1

      Are you our regular Chris T? (your comments got caught in the filter because of the different email address).

    • observer 5.2

      Inquiry into what?

      The one concrete allegation was investigated by Parl' Service, and there was nothing.

      When a guy is busy betraying anyone who reaches out to him, what possible action could Ardern take? Have a supportive conversation, and see it on the news a few hours later?

  5. Ad 6

    National's Uffindel has more self control than Labour's Sharma, and as a result Luxon comes out of the week better than Ardern.

    Luxon waits for the report before acting; Ardern is now forced to expel Sharma.

    • observer 6.1

      But Ardern's decision is very easy, because Sharma is in full self-destruct mode. All in only one week.

      Whereas Luxon might be kicking out a contrite MP who has some residual public sympathy. We won't know until the report comes out, obviously.

    • Anne 6.2

      Two different situations.

      Uffindell committed an historical offence and it wasn't divulged by him or his local electorate committee/board. But in the end he fessed up so he may get a second chance. We'll wait and see.

      Sharma is accusing Labour of committing offences of a different kind. Its obvious he is embellishing at best, lying at worst. The only one with any substance was investigated and found to be untrue. In short he's doing a JLR and his political career is kaput – even if he does stay on as an Independent.

    • Patricia Bremner 6.3

      Uffindel wants to be there. Sharma doesn't appear to care.

      No one can control a "loose cannon", firing in all directions… he is bound to hit something.. hopefully his own foot!!.

    • weka 7.1

      the creek fights back.

    • weka 7.2

      Do you have a date for the before photo?

      A big wake up call for many, it's not just coastal properties. A lot of chickens coming home to roost in the coming years from letting developers do stupid shit.

  6. Peter 9

    There was a brawl at Papakura High this week. 200 kids are said to have congregated at the heart of the trouble. I guess at the outset there was some dispute. No doubt that was between a small group or a few individuals.

    In the nature of these things everyone rushes in to see what's going on. A few kids easily identified then become part of a mass. That's happened since time immemorial. How can kids be taught, how could they learn, that when there's trouble, the best thing to do is to walk away?

    I accept in some instances someone may jump in to save someone being attacked and that could escalate things. The boy in the Stuff story? I'd want to know more about what happened at the outset. "He went to check on his friend. She'd got a drink sort of splattered on her…" What was she doing there?

    Another question. If this was the US and someone was shooting or carrying a gun would the kids all be running towards it to see what was going on?

    https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/education/300664992/mum-found-son-with-blood-gushing-from-scalp-after-papakura-school-brawl

  7. MickeyBoyle 10

    Apparently 2020 Labour candidate Nathaniel Bloomfield is also accusing Labour of bullying etc now.

    Has anyone seen this, I couldn't find it with a Google search? Possibly it is just on Facebook or Twitter etc?

    • Louis 10.1

      I haven't seen that but it should be noted Nathaniel and Sharma are best friends and he has been defending Sharma on twitter.

  8. Jester 11

    Wouldn't surprise me if there is another secret caucus meeting going on tonight in the Labour party. Either that or the phones will be running hot.

    • Anne 11.1

      Well, if you're exercised about MPs ringing each other up to talk about what has happened I suggest you dial 111 and ask for the police.

      • Jester 11.1.1

        Countdown has run out of popcorn

      • LibertyBelle 11.1.2

        I think what’s more concerning is the recorded phone conversation about last Monday’s meeting that claims the outcome of the Tuesday meeting was predetermined at the Monday meeting. Someone’s telling porkies, either the anonymous MP or the OM.

    • Louis 11.2

      Even Sharma called Monday's meeting a group chat, that's not an formal caucus meeting.

  9. ianmac 12

    Newshub has the live interview.

    https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2022/08/labour-s-dr-gaurav-sharma-breaks-silence-accusing-prime-minister-jacinda-ardern-of-cover-up-releases-secret-recording-of-mp.html

    The voice from the "supporter" was given to an actor to "protect" the "supporter's identity. Two curious things:

    1. The "Supporter" spilled the beans as though he was one of the Caucus, and spoke of what "they" were going to do to him but, if the "supporter" was genuinely in the Tuesday meeting, would talk about "we" wouldn't he/she?

    2. Later , when Sharma was speaking about the secret messenger and his given message, Sharma spoke of him as "he" in passing.

    It my mind the supporter does not sound real. If I was a member of the Party in the Caucus Meeting, my delivery/warning would be phrased very differently. Is there anyone in another Party who would play Dirty Tricks by supplying a secret message which would hurt Sharma and the Party? Surely not.

    • LibertyBelle 12.1

      In answer to 1), it is quite possible the speaker is projecting support for Sharma. He no longer considers his colleagues as a ‘we’. In answer to the rest, of course the entire call could be a fabrication, except that Newshub claim to know who the MP is.

    • Anne 12.2

      Jacinda is on record – somewhere – talking of "misrepresented" conversations with Sharma. In other words he's twisting the words someone said in order to make them appear to mean something else.

      Didn’t JLR do that?

  10. Anne 13

    Well, if you're exercised over MPs ringing each other up to talk about what has happened I suggest you dial 111 and ask for the police.

  11. Reality 14

    Sharma comes over as a very very self centred person who thinks the world revolves around him and that everyone should be bowing and scraping to his wishes. Guess not being elevated to a ministerial role by now does not sit well with his ego.