Dinosaurs roam the earth

Written By: - Date published: 3:32 pm, August 26th, 2015 - 45 comments
Categories: sexism - Tags: , , ,

FFS it’s 2015, not 1915:

Jacinda Ardern a ‘pretty little thing’, would ‘look good’ as PM – Graham Lowe

Former Kiwis and Queensland rugby league coach Graham Lowe has come under fire after describing Labour MP Jacinda Ardern as “a pretty little thing” who would “look good” as Prime Minister.

… Herald DigiPoll said she was the public’s second most preferred candidate for Labour leader if something happened to Andrew Little, just behind current deputy Annette King.


Oh and while we’re on the subject…

45 comments on “Dinosaurs roam the earth ”

  1. weka 1

    Hilary Barry rocks.

    • Anno1701 1.1

      she should carry them in her pocket

      much more effective than a kick in the shins !

    • Merrial 1.2

      That Pierre Trudeau was a pretty little thing, back in the day. He looked really good as Prime Minister of Canada.

      Sounds ridiculous when one says it about a man, doesn’t it? Even though it was true….

  2. maui 2

    The same Herald DigiPoll said she was the public’s second most preferred candidate for Labour leader if something happened to Andrew Little,

    What’s this “something” that could happen to Andrew Little? Is the media trying to make a threat?

    And any links between Lowe and the National Party?

    • maui 2.1

      Here we go, born again ACT voter and appointed by the Government as Chair of Alcohol Marketing Forum. Also been given the obligatory ONZM badge of honour. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz-election-2008/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501799&objectid=10540690&pnum=0
      http://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/graham-lowe-chair-alcohol-marketing-forum

      • greywarshark 2.1.1

        Looking at that Herald piece. It manages to combine celebrity with politics, brilliant for them. It was written in November 2008 near the election, and is a good example of the way that slanting presentation can result in a false impression.

        Michael Hill was quoted as saying that the Government should be changed, further down it says he will vote National and saying that yek is a do-it man. His opinion is that bureaucracy hog-ties the country and you can’t do anything.
        However, I remember, that despite that he has been able to make himself a big banana in the banana republic selling sparkling things to people who can afford them
        both here and overseas.

        Big deal was Sir Paul Reeves quoted as going to vote for Pita Sharples, turning away from Labour. Actually no. He was giving his party vote to Labour.
        So the emphasis in the Herald piece gives a wrong impression. Sir Paul, 75, will desert Labour for the first time in his life,

    • amy 2.2

      No. They are just being realistic. Andrew has hardly impressed the public so far. Sadly with him as leader I fear it will be another national government in 2017.

  3. Tricledrown 3

    Rugby and Rugby League get a lot of sponsorship from the Alcohol Industry.

  4. UniBoy_YoungVoter 4

    Watching the interview of Graham Lowe and Jimi Hunt delivered by Paul Henry from the Paul Henry show, looks like Lowe is being reasonable based on his demeanour and comparison to Prime Minister John Key.

    HOWEVER I do think he had chosen the wrong wording of ‘pretty little thing’, something he should have thought about, while interviewed.

    For time being, what if he intentionally used the wording on purpose?
    Is it too early for me to say, he wants media attention?
    AND is interested in dabbling into politics?

    Yes Jacinda can deliver a smart image
    No she is ‘not a thing’

    But why did he discuss image? What about Ardern’s political skills? Lowe could have critiqued her political awareness – right?

    Having met Jacinda Arden, I can assure everyone, that she is not just a ‘pretty little thing’, she is highly articulate and knowledgeable.

    Question: What has Lowe got to judge her?
    Answer: a lack of media attention?

    Hillary Barry a colleague of Paul Henry the man himself, tweets commentary

    Is this really coming from her or Henry? For reputation? For political position and identity?
    Barry is very charismatic and media classic – I am convinced she is trying to create a cloud to safe guard the Paul Henry show as early as possible.
    Henry has been under fire from the Sheila Dikshit controversy at TVNZ’s Breakfast.
    Is this what Barry is trying to protect?

    To be dead honest, I have never heard of David Clark, who is he?

    Good chance of him to get media attention – I am convinced.

    Has anyone seen Arden’s direct reaction towards Lowe? Or is it missing?
    Why has she not replied with anything? Maybe taking time to construct a safe and smart reaction, one would assume.

    I have to ask though.

    Is Jacinda Arden the new Helen Clark?
    Can Jacinda Arden be the new Helen Clark?
    Or am I just a bit too early?

    Lowe needs a good media advisor and Public Relations team.

    How is Lowe going to react after this?
    Be very interesting to what he has to give to the public.

    Dinosaurs aye…

  5. Ad 5

    While it’s clear Ardern is getting deliberately squashed by King, Ardern doesn’t help herself doing lightweight puff pieces like Next Magazine on the cover twirling a polkadot dress, with five pages of profile, barely mentioning a single policy detail. ie complete puff piece.

    Granted no other Labour MP could do a DJ set without looking naff. And full credit for nearly taking out Nicky Kay in 2014. Tough seat.

    But she will be judged less on her appearance when she has delivered some Government scalps, or some fresh policy platforms.

    • Mrs Brillo 5.1

      Having written for that magazine, I know perfectly well that had she mentioned anything political, the editorial blue pencil would instantly obliterate it. They know what they are after and concentrate on that.

      It is a magazine aimed largely at young Mums and adheres quite rigidly to its format – as does every magazine.

      In the unlikely event that Directions magazine had a profile on her, she would have had to talk about her car preferences. If New Zealand Gardener had interviewed Ms Ardern, she would have had her pot plants in the photo.

      Get it now?

      • Ad 5.1.1

        Got it long before that thank you.

        She agreed to the magazine’s editorial line, and profile.
        She goes for the shallow end of the media market deliberately, and that is where her looks really count.

        Ardern is no media idiot when it comes to getting the kind of public profile she wants.

        • Mrs Brillo 5.1.1.1

          Didn’t see you having a whack at Ms Collins for her recent media charm offensive (with accent on the offensive) in the women’s mags, telling her personal “amazing love story”, or the many other occasions MPs have headed for popular magazines when they feel their exposure needs a bit of a boost. Why reserve your scorn for Jacinta Ardern?

          It’s not as if we were spoiled for choice in this country with in-depth magazines wanting to outline political policies, no matter whose. Even in an election year. Most popular press stories are entirely superficial. Blame the medium, not the story’s subject.

          So for our enlightenment, where would you head if you wanted some media coverage of a centre-left candidate, in the sort of depth you were insisting upon?
          Just give us your short list.

          • Ad 5.1.1.1.1

            Check yourself. I made no scorn on Ardern.
            She’s good at what she does. She is a skillful player. And she understands her political market very clearly.

            Again, she will be judged less on her appearance when she has delivered some government scalps, or some fresh policy platforms. i.e. done good political work.

      • lprent 5.1.2

        That is correct from what I have seen around the publishing industry. Generally most magazines are directed closely to a rather narrow vertical market.

        To a certain extent, most blogs (including this one) are very specialist in much the same way. Read a under-30s site like The Wireless and it feels like you are in a different world. And if you get into a mummy blog like this random (and rather amusing) one pulled from a local aggregator, then it really does get alien to this uncle.

        Mind you, Lyn’s reading…. Ummmmm. Mind you she thinks the same about mine.

  6. BM 6

    He’s just a typical old boy, a product of his generation.

    He wouldn’t have meant any harm or insult.

    • irrelevant and not the point

      casually hurting and insulting people is not okay, okay?

    • Draco T Bastard 6.2

      His therefore had more than enough time to learn better.

    • RedBaronCV 6.3

      Typical of his generation yes. Means no harm ?
      Well he obviously see women first, last and only as arm candy. No doubt over a long career he has been unable to get past that to see women as worthwhile & productive people in their own right. Can’t see that women in a workplace near him would thrive – with all the knock on financial and lifestyle affects that that entails.
      Should have chopped the old fan base for league back a bit though with any luck.

      • nadis 6.3.1

        Clumsy comment by Lowe, but to be fair he also said he thought she had the smarts to become Prime Minister.

        And any one thinking Lowe is in the pocket of the alcohol industry because of his links to Rugby League is an uninformed idiot, as Chair of the ministerial forum on alcohol advertising he was very vocal in calling for a lot of reforms including a complete ban on alcohol sponsorship of sport and alcohol advertising during sports broadcasts. Another recommendation was to ban all alcohol advertising – in any medium – where 10% or more of the expected audience is younger than 18. Then he got slapped down by Amy Adams.

        http://www.health.govt.nz/system/files/documents/publications/ministerial-forum-on-alcohol-advertising-and-sponsorship-recommendations-on-alcohol-advertising-and-sponsorship-dec14.pdf

        • RedBaronCV 6.3.1.1

          If we recast the comment as “he’s a handsome little thing but what he says he speaks pretty smart” it comes out as uurg.

          Lowe sounds surprised that a “pretty little thing” has any ability at all. As for the looking good on television – shades of the female weather presenters being asked to wear lower cut clothes becauase well the weather forecast is so much more interesting when the presenter is doing the eye candy bit.
          Maybe Lowe needs to be fairer to other people. The statement is clumsy yes but indicative also.

    • Anno1701 6.4

      ignorance is no defense if i recall correctly….

  7. rob 7

    Lowe as he can go? notsure? but i bet he has no idea about what he said.
    but john key and his man crush on Richy for pm and knighthood shows his cat walk colours. don’t grow long hair rich or look out.

  8. Lanthanide 8

    “FFS it’s 2015, not 1915:”

    Of course it’s not 1915. A woman would never even be considered for PM in 1915.

    So yes, it is 2015. This is what happens in 2015.

  9. JanMeyer 9

    Graham Lowe is an older variant of Waitakere Man so be careful – Chris Trotter will counsel that we not take this too seriously

  10. save NZ 10

    Maybe after Ponytailgate, the moniker My little Pony means something different when describing Jacinda.

    She should put put her hair in a pony tail to taunt JK.

    • Lanthanide 10.1

      “She should put put her hair in a pony tail to taunt JK.”

      This is actually sexism.

      • Chromophore 10.1.1

        And if that’s not bad enough we have this
        ” john key and his man crush on Richy for pm and knighthood shows his cat walk colours.”
        Cat Walk colours?

      • save NZ 10.1.2

        I know. But I think there are 1000’s worse examples that could be focused on in NZ of sexism. Lower incomes for woman, poor maternity health provisions, Cunliffe being misquoted expressing disgust over family violence etc etc

        Would prefer to see a focus on this.

        Sometimes jumping on comments too hard can make the left look extreme. That is just what the right want.

        Yep – it is demeaning to call a high profile woman ‘a pretty little thing’, but on the other hand the comment could also be viewed positively in that GL would like to see a woman as a prime minister.

      • save NZ 10.1.3

        I know. But I think there are 1000’s worse examples that could be focused on in NZ of sexism. Lower incomes for woman, poor maternity health provisions, Cunliffe being misquoted expressing disgust over family violence etc etc

        Would prefer to see a focus on this.

        Sometimes jumping on comments too hard can make the left look extreme. That is just what the right want.

        Yep – it is demeaning to call a high profile woman ‘a pretty little thing’, but on the other hand the comment could also be viewed positively in that GL would like to see a woman as a prime minister and a labour one at that.

      • Anno1701 10.1.4

        no its funny….

  11. adam 11

    Nice comment from David Clark.

    Not bad for a Pressbutton 🙂

  12. les 12

    Graham Lowe has been seeking publicity for decades ,since NZ Rugby League decided not to avail themselves of his self confessed brilliance as a coach and administrator.Vastly over rated as a coach imo,a case of being in the right place at the right time.

    • nadis 12.1

      Really?
      Coached Wigan to first title in 30 years.
      Cooached Wigan to win over Manly in world Club Championship.
      Coached Manly in the Winfield cup for three years., went to two grand finals.
      Coached Reds to origin series win and a loss
      Coached Kiwis to first win over Kangaroos at Lang Park in years – these were the days when almost no kiwis were in winfield cup first grade. Remember the Olsen Filipaina vs Wally Lewis battles – classic.

      Does seem quite lucky to be lucky so often.

      You may not like the man but I think you’re quite harsh – I cant see where he has ever made outrageous claims or where he has been a publicity seeker?

      • les 12.1.1

        as Kiwi coach his record was not as good as Endacott,McClennan,Kearney…since League he regularly pops up in new business ventures….from taxi driving to safety vests.His m.o was to cultivate top players …Mark Graham,Matthew Ridge,Ellery Hanly and stalwarts of league like Fulton and Lewis.Always seeking publicity .He was a one dimensional coach…imo.

      • millsy 12.1.2

        You have to admit, he had a lot of talent to work with.

  13. Charles 13

    “Well, I tell you what, she’s a pretty little thing at the moment, and what she says, she speaks pretty smart. I think she just comes across as the right image,” Lowe said.

    At the moment? He ain’t no sexist dinosaur, he’s just a plain low-grade wanker.

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