Embarrassed for NZ

Written By: - Date published: 7:01 am, April 30th, 2015 - 87 comments
Categories: grant robertson, john key, Minister for International Embarrassment - Tags:

A feisty speech from Grant Robertson on the international embarrassment that is our PM. Seems he is not alone: “Kiwis embarrassed to be the home of the ‘creepy hair fetish guy as a PM’“.

87 comments on “Embarrassed for NZ ”

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  1. TheContrarian 1
    30 April 2015 at 7:58 am

    That was really quite funny.

    • newsense 1.1
      30 April 2015 at 10:43 pm

      I love how they are still calling out- she forged a painting for charity…the right’s idea of moral equivalence…

  2. Tracey 2
    30 April 2015 at 8:45 am

    Bravo

    Especially bravo because people like Gosman and all the left leaning people he talks to say this is not going to win votes… sometimes you have to have the courage to call people out on their behaviour because it is the right thing to … and the person holding the highest post in education of our young people? Forced to play it all down to support the PM…

  3. Sable 3
    30 April 2015 at 9:08 am

    Very entertaining. Keys is a laughing stock with everyone but his apologists in the MSM.

  4. les 4
    30 April 2015 at 9:19 am

    good to see Robertson in action…thought he had vanished.

  5. Skinny 5
    30 April 2015 at 9:26 am

    No too smart Robo especially when Key is sucking up to the Oil Kings. Better off letting the public judge Key’s dumbarse antics instead of trying for your own moment of fame.

    • felix 5.1
      30 April 2015 at 9:31 am

      Nah, got to do both.

      Mostly just let Creepy John trip himself up, but nothing wrong with giving him a shove from behind now and then.

      As long as the Leader isn’t going on about it, all good.

      • vto 5.1.1
        30 April 2015 at 9:39 am

        “but nothing wrong with giving him a shove from behind now and then.”

        Exactly.

        Being shoved from behind is the same for men as pulling on a ponytail is for women.
        (excuse the gender generalisations)

      • Tracey 5.1.2
        30 April 2015 at 9:44 am

        Yup, and how much mainstream coverage did it get? This can be as much for the supporters/member base as anything else.

  6. Sabine 6
    30 April 2015 at 9:29 am

    it appears that National did not show up for work?

    willful abandonment of their duties? Can we fire them? šŸ™‚

    • Puckish Rogue 6.1
      30 April 2015 at 10:10 am

      Sure can, in 2017 šŸ™‚

      • tracey 6.1.1
        30 April 2015 at 11:48 am

        serious question for you PR. What kind of behaviour do you think should prompt a resignation/sacking

        • Puckish Rogue 6.1.1.1
          30 April 2015 at 11:55 am

          Thats hard to answer definatively as every case should be considered on its own merits but I don’t believe the PM should resign for this (if thats what you’re asking)

    • freedom 6.2
      30 April 2015 at 10:43 am

      National did abandon the House with particular haste after question time yesterday. More so than usual? Open to interpretation. Those few left behind however seemed particularly unhappy to have drawn the short straws. But even before the House emptied, the strained faces scattered amongst the government benches suggests there are some very heavy dialogues occurring behind the scenes. Louise Upston in particular looked very stressed when caught on camera, then put on her performance face when required to answer Q4, but quickly slumped back into whatever malaise was occupying her.

      Jo Hayes was another to watch, her normal chirpy willingness when delivering the vapid navel gazing questions of the government appeared forced and unconvincing, compared to the expression she carried when not realising she was on camera.

      Throughout question time most of the women, especially the front bench Ministers did spend an inordinate amount of time busily staring at whatever papers they could distract themselves with.

      Are some of the women in National questioning the prescribed focus of their support?

  7. The Murphey 7
    30 April 2015 at 9:54 am

    Never let an external entity transfer or dictate ‘your’ sense of emotion

    Ashamed would be more appropriate to use

    Ashamed of what has become of NZ politics

    Ashamed of ‘our’ contribution to the political landscape

  8. tc 8
    30 April 2015 at 9:57 am

    Agreed and where are the education, EQC, Finance and Industrial relations shadow members lately. Attack on all fronts like you are paid to do lazy troughers.

  9. Puckish Rogue 9
    30 April 2015 at 10:00 am

    As embarrasing as trying to pretend your husband isn’t in the bar with you?

    • felix 9.1
      30 April 2015 at 10:03 am

      Desperately seeking deflection.

      • Puckish Rogue 9.1.1
        30 April 2015 at 10:12 am

        Not a deflection, a deflection would be bringing up the Darren Hughes affair this was merely pointing out that in order to be the leader of Labour GR was quite happy to hide his husband from the cameras

        Which I would have thought was pretty embarrasing but then i’m not a politician

        • emergency mike 9.1.1.1
          30 April 2015 at 11:47 am

          Is it possible PR, the GR’s partner simply didn’t feel like going on the telly?

          Either way, is it as embarrassing as your repeated pulling of a waitress’ hair for months until she starts crying then shoving some JK wine in her face making headlines all over the world?

          I’m gonna go with no, not even remotely close.

          • Puckish Rogue 9.1.1.1.1
            30 April 2015 at 11:57 am

            Well possibly but if you watch the video you can see him grinning in the background

            • emergency mike 9.1.1.1.1.1
              30 April 2015 at 12:22 pm

              I’m not sure what that would prove or why anyone would care at this point. But like I said, no matter how it went down it’s nothing compared to the embarrassment that the Parnell Puller has brought upon himself.

              Which was the question you wanted an answer to.

        • tracey 9.1.1.2
          30 April 2015 at 11:51 am

          Darren Hughes resigned for what as seen by some as unbecoming behaviour but not criminal…. I can see why the Nats wouldn;t want to bring that up…

          • Puckish Rogue 9.1.1.2.1
            30 April 2015 at 12:02 pm

            Mutually Assured Destruction works wonders

            • tracey 9.1.1.2.1.1
              30 April 2015 at 12:11 pm

              Unwanted advances toward another person = resignation

              But only from one Party PR…

              Now, you see why the Nats have stayed away from the comparisson…

            • emergency mike 9.1.1.2.1.2
              30 April 2015 at 12:13 pm

              Apparently not or John Key wouldn’t be pulling a waitress’ hair.

              • The Gormless Fool formerly known as Oleolebiscuitbarrell …
                30 April 2015 at 12:22 pm

                At least JK’s complainant wasn’t naked.

                • tracey …
                  30 April 2015 at 12:30 pm

                  Ahhhhh, is that what makes it different? Not that it was unconsented touching… thanks for clarifying the law for me.

                  • The Gormless Fool formerly known as Oleolebiscuitbarrell …
                    30 April 2015 at 12:33 pm

                    All unconsented touchings are not equal, tracey.

                    • tracey …
                      30 April 2015 at 12:42 pm

                      Didn’t say they are, that is what sentencing discretion is for. Do you agree that unconsented touching is actually a crime in NZ?

                    • The Gormless Fool formerly known as Oleolebiscuitbarrell …
                      30 April 2015 at 2:34 pm

                      Had a good look, trace, can’t find an offence of “unconsented touching” in the Crimes Act.

                    • tracey …
                      30 April 2015 at 2:53 pm

                      nice try at being cute Gormless

                      “assault means the act of intentionally applying or attempting to apply force to the person of another, directly or indirectly, or threatening by any act or gesture to apply such force to the person of another, if the person making the threat has, or causes the other to believe on reasonable grounds that he or she has, present ability to effect his or her purpose; and to assault has a corresponding meaning”

                      mens rea is important but so too is consent. For example if I say to someone please pull my hair, that isn’t assault. If I ask someone to stop, say, pulling my hair, and they do it again… then any claim they didn’t know it was not wanted by me falls flat (legally speaking).

                      So, we know that Key touched the waitress on a number of occassions, including when he was asked not to, and threatened to do so… we have no evidence of whether Hughes ever touched the complainant. So… the police Gormless, have they begun their investigation of Key?

                      Or are you a proponent of one set of laws for some people and another for Key?

              • Puckish Rogue …
                30 April 2015 at 12:27 pm

                Theres no comparison with what Darren Hughes (allegedly) did and what John Key has done

                A young man laid a police complaint of a sexual nature against him

                Witnesses reported seeing the complainant outside and naked that morning

                The victim laid a complaint with the police and the police decided that they did not have enough evidence to press charges against Hughes

                • tracey …
                  30 April 2015 at 12:37 pm

                  http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/police-decide-not-charge-darren-hughes-ck-94906

                  A young woman was touched many times without her consent by a 50 year old man who does not know her. Even after she explicitly told him not to touch her, he touched her again.

                  Witnesses saw that the woman was uncomfortable (including a manager and the perpetrator’s wife).

                  A police presence with the perpetrator also witnessed the touching.

                  The woman has made it clear in her statement that it was unwanted. The perpetrator has admitted the behaviour

                  Are you saying that only unwanted touching that can be construed as sexual is wrong?

                  You see Darren Hughes may have thought the feeling was reciprocated? That the young man was interested in consensual touching? Maybe he stopped when he realised it was not reciprocated/consented.

                  So it’s the fact that someone was making a pass at the other that is objectionable to you, and puts it in a different category, yes?

                  “Some media organisations had received an anonymous letter about Mr Hughes while police were investigating the complaint, he said.

                  “I can confirm those allegations contained in the letter have been investigated and there were no matters which arose that required police attention.”

                • felix …
                  30 April 2015 at 12:41 pm

                  And that’s the first and last time you or anyone else from National has ever complained about the Police not taking sexual complaints seriously.

                  šŸ™„

                  • Puckish Rogue …
                    30 April 2015 at 2:11 pm

                    Not true, all complaints should be treated equally and investigated properly

                    Name suppression should be used for victims and thier relationship and for the alleged perp and then if found guilty name suppresion for the guilty should be lifted

                    But above all the victims voices should be first and foremost in the process

                    • tracey …
                      30 April 2015 at 2:17 pm

                      I wonder why the police havent started an investigation into the unconsented touching of a stranger by a guy called John key?

                    • Puckish Rogue …
                      30 April 2015 at 2:25 pm

                      Because when he was asked to stop he did and there wasn’t anything sexual about it?

                    • arkie …
                      30 April 2015 at 2:27 pm

                      @PR

                      You are incorrect in your statement that he stopped when asked.

                      But I feel like you already knew that.

                    • Puckish Rogue …
                      30 April 2015 at 2:37 pm

                      Well in that case I agree lets have the police investigate and see if its worth bringing a case against the PM

                    • tracey …
                      30 April 2015 at 2:58 pm

                      You don’t even have all the facts PR.

                      threatening is also a crime …

                      You do understand that assault is a crime that doesn’t need any sexual element?

                      “assault means the act of intentionally applying or attempting to apply force to the person of another, directly or indirectly, or threatening by any act or gesture to apply such force to the person of another, if the person making the threat has, or causes the other to believe on reasonable grounds that he or she has, present ability to effect his or her purpose; and to assault has a corresponding meaning”

                      194 Assault on a child, or by a male on a female
                      Every one is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years whoā€”
                      (a)assaults any child under the age of 14 years; or
                      (b)being a male, assaults any female.

                      “196 Common assault
                      Every one is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 1 year who assaults any other person.”

                      Now, the police know this, they know it inside and out… and yet…

    • thatguynz 9.2
      30 April 2015 at 10:06 am

      In fairness that was pretty poor form by GR but I do recall him being called out about it at the time.

  10. cogito 10
    30 April 2015 at 10:01 am

    Saudi’s Prince Alwaleed bin Talal to John Key: “I follow your tweets, more than a year”….
    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/68145274/prime-minister-john-key-meets-saudi-arabias-prince-alwaleed-bin-talal

    Probably unexpected and potentially quite embarrassing! LOL. Poor Key.

    • freedom 10.1
      30 April 2015 at 10:14 am

      At least he caught himself before handing out Cameron’s phone number.
      If Cameron wanted the Prince to have his digits, he could probably manage it.

    • Hayden 10.2
      30 April 2015 at 10:47 am

      ā€œI follow your tweets, more than a yearā€ā€¦.

      He’s almost certainly read more of them than Key has.

    • tracey 10.3
      30 April 2015 at 11:52 am

      I thought all Nats stopped tweeting months ago on command from the Leader?

  11. sckiwireddevil 11
    30 April 2015 at 10:09 am

    ”The Parnell Ponytail Puller”….love it.

  14. Old Mickey 14
    30 April 2015 at 10:17 am

    Excellent work by Robbo, very funny. Should see National support at 55% in next poll.

    • Puckish Rogue 14.1
      30 April 2015 at 10:43 am

      Thats a bit unlikely, I’m thinking 47% for National, 27% Labour and Winston beating Little in the preferred PM %

      • freedom 14.1.1
        30 April 2015 at 10:45 am

        which poll are you referring to this time? šŸ™‚

        • Puckish Rogue 14.1.1.1
          30 April 2015 at 11:22 am

          The next poll of course, doesn’t matter which one šŸ™‚

          • freedom 14.1.1.1.1
            30 April 2015 at 11:31 am

            ever have a xmas when you got socks instead of the bike? šŸ˜‰
            but I have as much faith in the ethics of Herald Digi Polls as I do in the health claims of fast food manufacturers
            so you may well be correct

            • Puckish Rogue 14.1.1.1.1.1
              30 April 2015 at 11:41 am

              To be honest its not the hardest prediction to make

              • freedom …
                30 April 2015 at 12:08 pm

                true,
                a better challenge might be your predictions on a replacement for dear leader

                • Puckish Rogue …
                  30 April 2015 at 12:39 pm

                  Hmmm if we’re speaking National it does depend on how long John Key goes for but short term guess would be Paula Bennet, long term maybe Jami-Lee Ross

                  For the Greens it’ll be Kevin Hague and they won’t need to worry about sticking to any promises they make as they won’t be in power for a very long while

                  NZFirst is looking like Ron Mark but a suprise bolter could be Shane Jones

                  Labour would be best suited to putting everyones name in a hat and picking one out and waiting for John Key to retire however Stuart Bridges does have a name behind him, some charisma and can win a seat so they could do worse

                  • tracey …
                    30 April 2015 at 12:41 pm

                    Jamie Lee Ross? On what basis PR?

                    • rawshark-yeshe …
                      30 April 2015 at 12:51 pm

                      dare I suggest a suitable vacuity ?

                    • tracey …
                      30 April 2015 at 1:57 pm

                      I am pleased to see that he is needing some time to think about the reasons why…

                    • felix …
                      30 April 2015 at 2:02 pm

                      On the basis that he works for Slater/Collins.

                      And with Collins name being as low as dogshit right now, even worms like PR can’t bring themselves to sing her praises.

                      Apparently it doesn’t bother Slater/Collins (which is all PR is) that Lee-Ross is thick as pigshit, has no identifiable talent or special area of knowledge, and can barely string a sentence together without spitting and frothing about communists.

                    • tracey …
                      30 April 2015 at 2:06 pm

                      Well, apart from that.

                      Now he is a career politician… City Council at age 18 (?)?

                      He has no formal qualifications… but has gained a commercial pilots license. That is an expensive pursuit so clearly the public service has treated him well.

                    • Puckish Rogue …
                      30 April 2015 at 2:19 pm

                      Sorry Tracey but sometimes i do need to do some work, as a small busines owner I’m sure you wouldn’t appreciate an employee that spent all their work time on a blog instead of doing the job for which you pay them šŸ™‚

                      Hmm a career politician with no formal qualifications…hes in the wrong party then, sounds like the Greens or Labour would snap him up

                  • tracey …
                    30 April 2015 at 3:03 pm

                    indeed but you didn’t answer my question…

                    On what basis do you rate JLR as next leader of National Party of Bennett is only to be short term). Attributes? Experience? Qualifications?

                    As for being in the wrong party. I dunno there is that career bureaucrat Bill English for him to learn from…

  15. Paul 15
    30 April 2015 at 11:02 am

    Key in Saudi meeting his Citibank mates.
    And continuing to behave like a 12 year old wannabee obsessed with money and celebrity.
    Look at some of his comments below.

    ā€˜With a net worth of some NZ$60 billion, Prince Alwaleed is an investor in Citibank, the Four Seasons Hotel chain, Fox Entertainment and Twitter. Which is where their colourful conversation started.ā€™
    ā€œYou own Fox News, wow,ā€ Key wrongly asserted.

    On the table in front of them was a model of the princeā€™s latest project: a 1100m tower which will be the worldā€™s tallest.
    Key wanted to know the cost.

    ā€œGosh, the Four Seasons is an amazing chain, fantastic hotelsā€¦at our Maui house the Four Seasons is in front of us, itā€™s a great place for dinner.ā€

    ā€œYour trip to Turkey was interesting. Prince Charles, Prince Harry,ā€ the prince changed the subject.
    Key: ā€œHeā€™s coming to New Zealand in a couple of weeks.ā€

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/68145274/prime-minister-john-key-meets-saudi-arabias-prince-alwaleed-bin-talal

  16. aerobubble 16
    30 April 2015 at 11:15 am

    A serious abuse of power occurs, the ruling party accepts the politician needs to go, so instead going out for some heinous abuse of power. Like a mate running the intelligence organisation, the immigration rules opened up to let a known criminal apply and get residence, so the US copyright industry can make a bogeyman… ..with e collateral consequences to housing prices and stress on exporters. The ruling party starts find non state issues, pony gate, even Sabin arguably a decision that would inevitable undermined Key.

    Key is gone, knives sharpening in backbench room.

    • tracey 16.1
      30 April 2015 at 12:39 pm

      For Key to be assured of a knighthood he needs to

      a. resign while Nats still in power so they can bestow it on him
      b. ensure they get re-elected in 2017, then resign

      • aerobubble 16.1.1
        3 May 2015 at 1:17 pm

        B. Roll judy out to distract further from northland, ponytailgate, not so secret troop movements hush hush its oh so secret.

        But wait. Deficit. So here’s the thing. Chch earthquakeadd a percent to the economy, key would be no where near getting into surplus had no earthquake hit.

        Worse. The economy is hurting, companies can’t move to chch to avoid paying higher rents as they would do, and the infrastructure in s.Auckland is dead man walking.

  17. Puckish Rogue 17
    30 April 2015 at 12:00 pm

    Mutually Assured Destruction does work really well

  18. Psycho Milt 18
    30 April 2015 at 12:38 pm

    From the Andrea Vance article linked by Sacha above:

    In Saudi society that would be seen as quite an offensive activity, indeed it would be seen as an assault.”

    Perhaps this was why Key chose not to directly raise women’s rights when he spoke to the monarch about human rights concerns. He was hardly speaking from the moral high ground.

    Absolutely. Gulf Arabs aren’t going to be lectured by a waitress-molester on how to treat women, and he’d have been crazy to raise the subject. Fortunately (for him) he was only there to talk business.

  19. emergency mike 19
    30 April 2015 at 12:50 pm

    The Andrea Vance article is sad reading regarding our post-pony tail gate PMs international reputation.

    “No ruler was impolite enough to mention it. “Only you,” Key tersely told reporters.

    But they knew. “It is something [King Salman’s] advisers have a pretty good handle on,” Saudi expert and business consultant John Lockwood said ahead of the meeting.

    “They will be smiling behind their hands when he, perhaps, raises other issues. In Saudi society that would be seen as quite an offensive activity, indeed it would be seen as an assault.”

    Perhaps this was why Key chose not to directly raise women’s rights when he spoke to the monarch about human rights concerns. He was hardly speaking from the moral high ground.

    … international coverage of his behaviour towards Amanda Bailey made him a laughing stock.”

    There are real consequences on the international stage here. It’s a bit difficult to start complaining about human rights issues when you are famous for pulling a woman’s hair until she starts crying. So much for setting an example. Wait what am I talking about. As if John Key would ever offer more than a mumbled proverbial wet bus ticket to human rights violating trade partners.

    In Saudi Arabia, a country not exactly known for its progressive attitude towards women’s rights, pulling a woman’s hair is unthinkable. And there are other consequences, not just for John Key.

    “In Dubai he was lavished with traditional (and extravagant) Arab hospitality. In the scorching Saudi desert, the welcome was slightly cooler.

    Key was muted when talking about the chances of a free trade pact with the Gulf Cooperation Council. He’ll return from trade mission with nothing tangible to deliver…”

    • tracey 19.1
      30 April 2015 at 1:59 pm

      ā€œNo ruler was impolite enough to mention it. ā€œOnly you,ā€ Key tersely told reporters.

      So Key does understand that a “ruler” has to behave differently to an “ordinary bloke” and there are social mores about what is and isn’t appropriate. That is particularly pertinent given his behaviour toward a certain waitress, over a period of months, and his attitude toward it..

    • tracey 19.2
      30 April 2015 at 1:59 pm

      ā€œNo ruler was impolite enough to mention it. ā€œOnly you,ā€ Key tersely told reporters.

      So Key does understand that a “ruler” has to behave differently to an “ordinary bloke” and there are social mores about what is and isn’t appropriate. That is particularly pertinent given his behaviour toward a certain waitress, over a period of months, and his attitude toward it..

  20. Charles 20
    30 April 2015 at 1:59 pm

    What a waste of four good speaking minutes. His best points come in the last minute, but still rate at around 50% effective.

    What Labour have to understand, if they aren’t just writing these speeches for their own amusement, is the mindset of the people they are trying to influence i.e. not the people who already vote for them.

    That whole first four minutes of talking was offered in a way that would simply bounce off the heads of “right-thinking people”. It’s not that some of them don’t know, it’s that if you ask them to occupy a mindspace they don’t normally occupy, from a perspective they can’t sympathise with, they’ll just ignore it. Ask a “logical thinker” to appreciate your talking points like a “empathetic intuitive” and it’s game over. It’s like he’s never met anyone in business. Doesn’t look good, either, when you truncate and fracture the meaning of regression into something it’s not, and hope that the word “psychologist” impresses people.

    I wish I was surprised. I wish I was surprised none of the special interest groups he should know well didn’t tell him he was minimising and apologising for John Key’s crimes with his “we’re all embarrased” approach. Has he never met anyone who’s gay? (???!!) Or any feminists? Or any lawyers? Or anyone who isn’t embarrased because it’s a serious matter about specific people and laws, not a optional opportunity to project one’s own sense of associated collective worth onto; not some failure to salute the flag on The Queen’s Birthday.

    Why should politicians apologise for a corrupted culture? Because they are the representatives, leaders, supporters and drivers of said culture. When shouldn’t a politician apologise for a corrupted culture? When they don’t plan to do anything about it.

    The opposition must call for John Key’s resignation. He isn’t going to resign, but they must realise this is the time to be serious. No screeching necessary: simply outline the truth of the matter, sans Woman’s Weekly style long distance psychologist reports, and go on record for making a stand against crimes against workers in the workplace. That’s the very least that should happen, and probably the most they can do.

    • Stuart Munro 20.1
      1 May 2015 at 5:21 pm

      The opposition should call for Key’s summary execution and parlay it down to a resignation & prosecution for sexual harassment.

  21. Tom Gould 21
    30 April 2015 at 2:42 pm

    Moreover, today’s National Herald carries this little gem:

    With our currency effectively at parity with the Australian dollar and house prices booming everything must be great in the “rockstar” New Zealand economy, right?
    I’m not so sure. Let’s look at the economic growth achieved in 2014.
    Headline real GDP growth was a very impressive 3.5 per cent. However, population growth was 1.6 per cent so per capita GDP growth was only about 1.8 per cent.
    Commodity prices – in particular dairy – had a big run up in 2014 resulting in a positive impact of around $5 billion to nominal GDP. Working out the contribution to real GDP growth is difficult, but if we assume about half of this fed through directly into GDP, then that accounts for about 0.9 per cent of growth.
    Likewise the Christchurch rebuild got into full swing and probably added a further 0.6 per cent. So real GDP growth per capita, excluding the one-off effects of surging commodity prices and the Christchurch rebuild, was about 0.3 per cent.
    Not quite so flash.

    Indeed. Not too flash at all.

  22. dukeofurl 22
    30 April 2015 at 3:46 pm

    Keys next stop is obviously IRAQ.

    A big photo op with those kiwi soldiers who have been ‘teleported’ there.

    After the Anzac celebrations he can wow his local hosts with the line:

    “Occupying Muslim countries since 1915”

    • cogito 22.1
      30 April 2015 at 4:47 pm

      “Keys next stop is obviously IRAQ”

      And he’ll no doubt talk about it with the local media before he tells anyone in NZ.

  23. linda 23
    30 April 2015 at 4:54 pm

    Its not just serial creepy ponytail puller he’s also creepy freely kids hair to, he’s a fucken pervett creepo werdo creep okey it guess all his supporters are deviants as well

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