English honeymoon over already

Written By: - Date published: 7:37 am, December 16th, 2016 - 198 comments
Categories: bill english, Gerry Brownlee - Tags: , ,

The English honeymoon came to an abrupt end yesterday as the new PM copped an earful in Kaikoura – PM Bill English: Frustrated Kaikoura locals say town is ‘the absolute pits’ (or see the almost identical version in The Herald)

Angry and isolated Kaikoura locals rounded on Prime Minister Bill English and his Earthquake Commission minister Gerry Brownlee during a flying visit on Thursday.

English, who is in Kaikoura on his first official visit as prime minister, landed in a Defence Force chopper on the lawn of Kekerengu cafe The Store, to be met with about 40 furious and frustrated locals.

Clarence farmer John Murray told English: “We had a meeting here three weeks ago and Gerry was here, and we left full of hope that something was going to happen … we have sat down there for three weeks and nothing has bloody well happened and it’s shocking, it is the absolute pits.”

Not much love there for English. And it won’t get any better, if the Christchurch experience is anything to go by – Christchurch rebuild gets worst rating from Treasury

As a footnote to this incident, naturally Gerry Brownlee lost his rag –

“Sorry you’re frustrated, but I’m p….. off that you took that attitude quite frankly, and I’ve just sworn on TV.”

The argument continued when the man said: “That’s fine Gerry, but I think you’ll find everyone here, thinks like I think.”

But Brownlee didn’t want to let the criticism go answered: “How do you think I feel? Sitting here looking at this and nothing happening, course we’re working hard to get it done.”

Lucky there were no stairs nearby. What a disgrace Brownlee is.

Key would have handled this better.

198 comments on “English honeymoon over already ”

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  1. Paul 1
    16 December 2016 at 7:55 am

    As Bradbury says, ranting at earthquake survivors is an odd way to connect with voters.

  2. Eyre 2
    16 December 2016 at 8:19 am

    Ffs. It’s been 4 weeks. 32 days since the earthquake.

    • One Anonymous Bloke 2.1
      16 December 2016 at 8:25 am

      …yes, and Brownlee has wasted no time enhancing his reputation for stupid arrogant bullying.

      • Eyre 2.1.1
        16 December 2016 at 8:34 am

        Was the farmer not also an stupid arrogant bully. The south route is going to open next couple of weeks.

        • One Anonymous Bloke 2.1.1.1
          16 December 2016 at 8:37 am

          “The farmer did it too!”

          Is the farmer seeking votes? 😆

          • Eyre 2.1.1.1.1
            16 December 2016 at 8:45 am

            No the farmer is just an idoit

            • Carolyn_nth 2.1.1.1.1.1
              16 December 2016 at 8:49 am

              Does that mean like – e-currency?

            • One Anonymous Bloke 2.1.1.1.1.2
              16 December 2016 at 8:55 am

              Keep it up, you’re perfect National Party material.

            • lprent 2.1.1.1.1.3
              16 December 2016 at 8:57 am

              Is that short for “I Do It” too (but worse) – the variant of the National spinner “but Labour did..”

              It pays to spell correctly when calling someone else an “idoit”.

              You look like an idiot spinner.

              • Eyre …
                16 December 2016 at 9:14 am

                Sorry I have dyslexia. But don’t feel bad. I haven’t let it hold me back in life

                • Carolyn_nth …
                  16 December 2016 at 9:27 am

                  Don’t mean to make fun of a dyslexic person – just interested in the meaning of words.

                  • Eyre …
                    16 December 2016 at 9:43 am

                    Two things I’ve learnt in live. Never asked a married couple when they are having children and never laugh if someone can’t spell.you never know their situation. Auto check sometimes let’s me down. Also Iprent should know better.

                    • Macro …
                      16 December 2016 at 11:24 am

                      Totally agree Eyre, I have a family member who also has major trouble with the spelling of even the most common used words. It doesn’t make her life easy, but then it doesn’t hold her back either. She is hugely involved in a raft of social issues and major organisations and is an extremely capable person.

                    • Eyre []
                      16 December 2016 at 12:41 pm

                      It’s very frustrating. But mostly embarrassing. But it makes you think differently. And I’m in the job I’m in because of it. My son had type 1 diabetes. So not being able to spell. Have to read a page 4 times. Don’t know left from right (don’t play golf with me. I have my partners going all over the place).it’s not too bad

                    • Muttonbird …
                      16 December 2016 at 11:33 am

                      Fuck me, and hasn’t it let you down in this post. That’s not dyslexia, that’s just lazy.

                      I think you are a multi of some banned right wing troll, fwiw.

                      [The policy states that it’s not ok to use language or attacks that exclude people. Too much of this discussion falls in the Abelism category. It’s not ok to deny that someone has a disability when they do, and doing so is a political act, esp when you have no way of knowing, that impacts negatively on people with disabilities. Please stop. – weka]

                    • Eyre []
                      16 December 2016 at 12:42 pm

                      Fuck off. I thought the left was a board church

                    • Robert Guyton …
                      16 December 2016 at 12:15 pm

                      Why would a dyslexic person be offended by someone making fun of their spelling – can’t be the first time Eyre has experienced that. Furthermore, are dyslexic people to be exempted from being corrected for their bad spelling just because they are dyslexic? I’ll bet they don’t want special treatment. If you comment on a blog, you can hardly expect to have your special spelling go unnoticed. If you walk with a limp, you’d not get far (pun intended) if you stopped to berate every person who noticed your awkward walking style. I’ve a dyslexic friend who revels in the creativity of his own mis-spellings, and writes poetry leaving his creative mistake intact.

                    • Muttonbird …
                      16 December 2016 at 12:47 pm

                      Look at that. Suddenly Eyre’s spelling improved as the day wore on.

                    • Eyre []
                      16 December 2016 at 12:55 pm

                      Spell check, Google and a well worn dictionary . Were you a teacher in the 70s. All you need is a ruler. I’ve learnt to spell using trial and error. Mostly error. Especially when spell check can’t even work out what writing

                    • Robert Guyton …
                      16 December 2016 at 12:49 pm

                      “Board church” – how my dyslexic friend would have laughed and how transparent was that effort by “Eyre” to cement in his “I’m dyslexic, love me” profile.

                    • Muttonbird …
                      16 December 2016 at 1:00 pm

                      Eyre. Just stop. You are not helping Bill’s new National with this carry on.

                    • Robert Guyton …
                      16 December 2016 at 1:08 pm

                      So, I’m wondering why Eyre would come onto this blog and call someone, a farmer, an idiot when he knows himself, or at least claims to know, what it’s like to be called an idiot, him being dyslexic and all. It’s not only that behaviour struck me as odd, I was also puzzled by his using the word, “idiot”, the key word in his unpleasant attack on the farmer (who couldn’t defend himself and curry sympathy the way Eyre did here) without checking it first. Someone who knows he spells things wrongly would surely be extra careful when choosing the words he uses to denigrate another person on a public forum like this. It just doesn’t make sense. Muttonbird’s sensed Eyre’s insincerity, I believe, and has his measure.

                      [please see moderator note above, thanks – weka]

              • Carolyn_nth …
                16 December 2016 at 9:26 am

                Doit (somewhat archaic) = “a small piece of money, a trifling sum, a trifle, a small part of anything”

                Idoit must be the internet version

            • keepcalmcarryon 2.1.1.1.1.4
              16 December 2016 at 12:17 pm

              “No the farmer is just an idoit”
              Actually Eyre, you are the idiot here. By chance I know this area rather well. John Murray is a very well respected farmer and member of the community.
              Kekerengu is North of kaikoura, the road blockage he is referring to is between the clarence area and kaikoura. Untouched by road crews, local certified contractors standing idle.
              The south route you talk of is south of kaikoura, a place the murrays cant even get to. Learn some basic geography.
              Johns message was significant in a safe national seat that bleeds blue – dont use us for a photo op session with the new prime minister if you arent going to follow through what you have promised. Do not take the electorate for granted.
              There is immense frustration at what appears to be mishandling of roading priorities, especially in the rural area. Do not mistake this for ingratitude at the incredible generosity of kiwis to those affected.
              The media is only giving you sound bites.
              Notice the story title about the town being “the pits” is a total misquote?

              • simbit …
                17 December 2016 at 7:48 am

                Similar pattern to Govt response to Chch 2011. People are running on adrenalin. The first days, even weeks, are almost fun, by which I mean an adventure, the most dramatic communal event most people will ever experience. Then it’s just shit.

          • Tricledrown 2.1.1.1.2
            16 December 2016 at 10:06 am

            Shifting the blame.
            Keys tactics.

        • Matiri 2.1.1.2
          16 December 2016 at 8:45 am

          This farmer is in Kekerengu which in north of Kaikoura. They are all stranded by slips, cant go north or south!

          • Eyre 2.1.1.2.1
            16 December 2016 at 9:28 am

            It could take up to two years to get the north end open.

            • dukeofurl 2.1.1.2.1.1
              16 December 2016 at 10:21 am

              The road from the north is passable to the Clarence river, which is south of this location – kekerengu valley.
              They just want a little work to allow reasonable access.

              You should check your maps before mouthing off with absurd comments

              • Muttonbird …
                16 December 2016 at 12:24 pm

                Not possible. Eyre is dyslexic in case anyone hadn’t been informed, and also has major issues with map reading and geography.

                Eyre’s only strength is defending Gerry Brownlee.

                • Robert Guyton …
                  16 December 2016 at 1:12 pm

                  Could Eyre have also misspelled his own nom de plume?
                  Could he in fact be in … Eeyore?

                • Macro …
                  16 December 2016 at 1:55 pm

                  I take strong exception to your constant slurring of dyslexic people. Please desist. It is not funny and is highly offensive.

                  • Muttonbird …
                    16 December 2016 at 2:13 pm

                    Apologies to you Macro. I’m not going to say I did’t mean to cause offence because I did mean to cause offence – to one particular new troll.

                    That troll used dyslexia as some sort of ‘go easy on me’ strategy and that isn’t acceptable, imo.

                    • Macro …
                      16 December 2016 at 2:45 pm

                      I don’t think people realise just how difficult it is for people with dyslexia to communicate in the written form, and to constantly make reference to it in an ad hominem manner because you disagree with their argument, decreases yours as well.
                      As it happens – when I heard that farmer rant on, on RNZ this morning I had to agree that his behaviour was stupid. Having worked in the civil construction industry, on site, I can say that what some inexperienced people see as an easy job, may not infact be the case.
                      Now we are told that it was in fact the road North that the farmer was referring to – even so – if that clearance meant the dumping of spoil into the marine environment, that would be regarded as an offence under the RMA. I know Brownlee has dictatorial powers in this situation; but he will be aware that such action must only be taken as a last step. Furthermore, what might be seen by some “experienced” gungho operators as as simple job can be a highly hazardous one – and I have seen many large machines operated by “experienced operators” get themselves, and their machinery into highly hazardous, and dangerous situations. Slips such as have occured in Kaikoura are not to be taken lightly, and while one can appreciate the frustration of locals, who percieve that things are progressing too slowly, they need to be aware that to go too quickly may well endanger the lives of workers.
                      So yes I thought his outburst “idiotic” too.

                    • Muttonbird …
                      16 December 2016 at 2:53 pm

                      You are bending over backwards to defend the government’s response to this event too? I am surprised.

                  • Robert Guyton …
                    16 December 2016 at 2:52 pm

                    Macro – of course I’ll stop but I don’t hold the same view as you about this issue. I have troubles myself with “directional dyslexia” and laugh along with anyone who finds my mistakes funny. I believe that granting some people amnesty from teasing is a mistake, especially when the “mistakes” are not serious. The best way to deal with issues like dyslexia, colour-blindness (I’m colour blind, btw) and other “afflictions” is to laugh along with the rest of the world. Don’t you think?

                    • Eyre …
                      16 December 2016 at 3:45 pm

                      Yes it’s really funny. When a teacher calls you stupid in front of the class. Hiding in the toilets when parts for plays are being picked. But I do wish I have never have said it. But I hate it when people correct my spelling. It’s like finishing a stutters sentence. I’ve read this blog for years. And never have I seen such horrible things written by you two. If you are a reflection of the left. Then good luck to the kids. Next time I’ll throw in a few more spelling mistakes.

                    • Robert Guyton …
                      16 December 2016 at 4:29 pm

                      Yes it’s really funny. When a teacher right-wing commenter calls you a farmer stupid an idoit (sic) in front of the class readers on a public blog

                      FIFY.

                      I believe you are suffering a worse condition; passive/agressiveness – your “poor me” ploy is unimpressive.
                      edit: didn’t see the moderators note til now, but believe I’m not denying “that someone has a disability when they do”

                    • Macro …
                      16 December 2016 at 5:17 pm

                      You might like to ask Catherine Delahunty who (with Judith Collins and a few other MPs) has sat on a sub-committee this year investigating this very subject, what they were told by the many people who submitted and made verbal statements. On many occassions they were horrified with what they heard. Are you aware that between 30% – 50% of our prison population are dyslexic?. Yes some people have handled their affliction – but just as many have not.
                      Now I don’t have a great deal of time for Gerry Brownlee, or Bill English, or any National MP for that matter, but I think the behaviour of the man in Kaikoura was stupid. Yes he is frustrated, and so is every one else – but loosing your rag does not help the situation one iota.
                      Furthermore I have seen large diggers roll down hillsides when operaters went beyond the bounds of safety, thinking they knew better than the “experts”. The results are not pretty, and everything is then held up because of their stupid actions. I believe that this is the situation in Kaikora at the moment. People who want to “get on with it” when caution is needed.

            • Kevin 2.1.1.2.1.2
              16 December 2016 at 11:16 am

              Good news is that work on re-establishing the rail link should start around March next year. Only one tunnel to rebuild and then re-lay track. Will be much quicker than doing the road.

              • dukeofurl …
                16 December 2016 at 12:03 pm

                Yes. The rail track went through tunnels on the worst affected headlands. And tunnels are more resilient during earthquakes.

            • keepcalmcarryon 2.1.1.2.1.3
              16 December 2016 at 12:27 pm

              “It could take up to two years to get the north end open”

              Bullshit. Is that you Gerry?

    • North 2.2
      16 December 2016 at 8:27 am

      And ???……..Eyre @ 2. Surly pensioner basher Brownlee !

    • Joy FL 2.3
      16 December 2016 at 8:33 am

      Yeah, give it 32 years then complain 🙁

    • Wellfedweta 2.4
      16 December 2016 at 2:26 pm

      Exactly. What a loser John Murray is. Still, there were others there who put Murray in his place. Pity Natwatch wasn’t honest enough to post the full article.

  3. chris73 3
    16 December 2016 at 8:24 am

    Its an emotional time so tensions will be high but I suspect most people are like this:

    “But not all at the meeting felt so strongly. One woman interrupted Murray’s tirade to question his assertion that “nothing’s been done”.

    “She said later that many of locals understood the challenges the Government faced in rebuilding critical infrastructure.”

  4. Carolyn_nth 4
    16 December 2016 at 8:27 am

    Interesting that Brownlee’s response seemed to dominate that by English.

    I suspect if Key had been there, Key would’ve done most of the talking and Brownlee would’ve taken a back seat.

    Makes it seem that English is not the dominant force in the Nat Caucus.

    • lprent 4.1
      16 December 2016 at 8:58 am

      Brownlee could have his eye on the PM seat after English loses?

      • Pat 4.1.1
        16 December 2016 at 9:03 am

        nah…even he couldn’t be that delusional.

      • Tricledrown 4.1.2
        16 December 2016 at 10:17 am

        Bully Brownlee
        Boring Bill.
        50 shade of grey boring Bill English.
        Media trainors Crosby Text or will be working over Xmas break.
        Brownlee will be put it spin rehab.
        Maybe even demoted.
        It will be hard for 50 shade’s of grey Boring Bill to shine above all the shining Misfit’s.

      • Ffloyd 4.1.3
        16 December 2016 at 10:24 am

        Bigly Brownlee PM??? Nah,he’d never fit in the front seats with ‘I am woman’ PB. Think of the overlap.

        • WILD KATIPO 4.1.3.1
          16 December 2016 at 5:23 pm

          Helen Reddy disowns Paula ‘ leopard skin ‘ Bennett at World Wildlife conference…

        • Matthew Whitehead 4.1.3.2
          17 December 2016 at 12:55 pm

          Really? There’s so many worse things to say about Brownlee than simply fat-shaming him.

          There’s his odious disposition, the fact that he’s been treating Canterbury as his own personal fiefdom, the fact that he yells and and assaults ordinary citizens, and of course, the stupid attempt to sneak through the back door to his plane when he was running late, as if being a Minister gave him the right to skip through airport security without even talking to anyone about it. Brownlee exemplifies the common criticism of the National Party that they think they’re born to rule.

          All that is far more relevant than his weight.

          In a similar vein, although I don’t have much nice to say about Ms. Bennett, she actually has a fair point that being a woman is a plus in terms of providing a balanced perspective to the leadership team, (not to mention being good for your career prospects in the National Party, Parmar seems to be the only woman who’s not going anywhere) and Bennett has done so many terrible things during her career in parliament that although she could’ve expressed this a bit more clearly rather than simply straightforwardly saying “I’m a woman,” it wasn’t a completely dumb point to be making.

      • Infused 4.1.4
        16 December 2016 at 1:13 pm

        2020? maybe.

        • Muttonbird 4.1.4.1
          16 December 2016 at 1:18 pm

          2017. Bill won’t last the summer. It’s already apparent he doesn’t have the ground game and the quick thinking to head a socially corrupt National party for long.

      • mac1 4.1.5
        16 December 2016 at 1:39 pm

        I don’t think that Brownlee is after the Kaikoura seat, that’s for sure!

    • Wellfedweta 4.2
      16 December 2016 at 3:43 pm

      …or, English is comfortable letting others speak up.

      • WILD KATIPO 4.2.1
        16 December 2016 at 4:28 pm

        He always was….comfortable hiding behind someone else…

        • Wellfedweta 4.2.1.1
          16 December 2016 at 5:12 pm

          Are you suggesting being comfortable allowing a well informed colleague to speak up is hiding? Mmmm…does rather sound a bit like the Clark years.

          • WILD KATIPO 4.2.1.1.1
            16 December 2016 at 5:28 pm

            I think what most here are suggesting is that the man lacks ‘ presence’.

            A poor example from a leader who try’s to emulate his predecessor in leading from the front. He has niether the snake oil charm of Key nor the bully boy persona of Brownlee.

            However , like all bullys , Brownlee is more bluster than substance. As evidenced by his well known incompetence over the CH CH earthquake.

            • Wellfedweta 4.2.1.1.1.1
              16 December 2016 at 8:42 pm

              I can understand why you might think that, because the full article was not posted. Read the final paragraph’s and you’ll understand that English did speak up, and in a statesmanlike manner.

  5. Hanswurst 5
    16 December 2016 at 8:29 am

    Key would have handled this better.

    Perhaps, but would Brownlee? Of course, in reality it could be Brownlee venting at the knowledge that he will wake up on Monday as the newly appointed minister of mothballs, tumbleweed and the eerie whistling of the wind on certain back-country roads.

    • Pat 5.1
      16 December 2016 at 8:46 am

      it is simply Brownlee being Brownlee….his arrogant dismissive manner could perhaps be overlooked, or at least considered of less import if he wasn’t so goddamn useless at his job.

    • Stephen Doyle 5.2
      16 December 2016 at 10:44 am

      He wouldn’t have dared if Key had been there. Shows he doesn’t think much of Bill.

  6. Gosman 6
    16 December 2016 at 8:31 am

    What reason would the government have not to try and sort out the problems with transportation as quickly as they can? This seems to be simply a case of some locals expecting miracles and I understand the frustrations expressed by Brownlee.

    • Hanswurst 6.1
      16 December 2016 at 8:33 am

      Do you also think that his ranting covers him in glory?

      • Wellfedweta 6.1.1
        16 December 2016 at 2:28 pm

        Yes. It’s refreshing to hear a politician call a spade a spade.

        • WILD KATIPO 6.1.1.1
          16 December 2016 at 4:31 pm

          Was it refreshing for Jerry ‘ out through the security door ‘ Brownlee to barge his way through an airport security door showing his contempt for due process and regulations designed for the protection of others?

          And then go on to become Minister for Defense?

          That looks more like incompetence and being filled with a sense of his own self importance than ‘ refreshing’.

          • Wellfedweta 6.1.1.1.1
            16 December 2016 at 5:13 pm

            What on earth has any of that got to do with this? That’s right, nothing.

            • WILD KATIPO 6.1.1.1.1.1
              16 December 2016 at 5:32 pm

              And I presume if you were an employer conducting a job interview you would be the first to dismiss any negative and glaring signs of former incompetence and bad attitudes on the prospective new employee as well…

              That’s the problem with far right wing sycophants, … always too happy to rush to the defence of the incompetent and turn a blind eye to those with poor character traits…

              • wellfedweta …
                16 December 2016 at 8:31 pm

                I’m not employing Brownlee, I’m commenting on his response to an entirely stupid complaint.

    • One Anonymous Bloke 6.2
      16 December 2016 at 8:36 am

      So can I – he’s an arrogant graceless bully.

      Key flushed more than himself down the toilet by the looks.

      • Red 6.2.1
        16 December 2016 at 12:36 pm

        Yep and take ones to no one I am sure OAb in similar circumstances you would have been quite as a church mouse (not, and rightly so ) unless your on line macho image is that, image only

        • Sam C 6.2.1.1
          16 December 2016 at 2:51 pm

          It is definitely image only. OAB has no substance whatsoever. He’s your classic keyboard warrior – all anger and bitterness.

          • One Anonymous Bloke 6.2.1.1.1
            16 December 2016 at 3:36 pm

            😆

            Keep telling yourself that boys.

          • Wellfedweta 6.2.1.1.2
            16 December 2016 at 3:42 pm

            I actually worry about him. I ignore him now, but I do watch his caustic ranting with increasing concern for his stability.

            • WILD KATIPO 6.2.1.1.2.1
              16 December 2016 at 4:41 pm

              @ Wellfedinsect

              The only thing that worry’s you about OAB is that he frequently calls you out and makes you look ridiculous.

              And btw… everyone’s also noticed your tendency towards passive aggression in your posts.

              • Wellfedweta …
                16 December 2016 at 5:21 pm

                I worry for OneAB because I showed him up twice in 2 days, and I immediately noticed a feral response. I’m not here to contribute to people’s imbalances.

                • WILD KATIPO …
                  16 December 2016 at 5:35 pm

                  But you are here to massage your own ego as well as the facts .

                  With more often than not indefensible arguments that run contrary to those facts and that are obvious for all to see.

                  • Wellfedweta …
                    16 December 2016 at 5:48 pm

                    Point out one case where I have posted something false. You’ll need to back up you’re claims, as I am expected to.

                    • One Anonymous Bloke …
                      16 December 2016 at 8:25 pm

                      Example No.1:

                      I actually worry about him. I ignore him now, but I do watch his caustic ranting with increasing concern for his stability.

                      Not just falsehood: malice too.

                      Have a nice day.

                  • wellfedweta …
                    16 December 2016 at 8:30 pm

                    Example?

          • WILD KATIPO 6.2.1.1.3
            16 December 2016 at 4:37 pm

            @Sam C

            What was that Red just typed about ‘ takes one to know one’ ?

    • Molly 6.3
      16 December 2016 at 8:44 am

      …”and I understand the frustrations expressed by Brownlee.”

      And you would then expect Brownlee to understand the frustrations expressed by locals. But you don’t. Why not?

      • Gosman 6.3.1
        16 December 2016 at 8:51 am

        I understand they are wanting to get back to normal life as fast as possible and that this won’t likely be as fast as the government and others is able to go.

        • One Anonymous Bloke 6.3.1.1
          16 December 2016 at 8:57 am

          That’s probably true – they had to watch Dear Leader disappear around the U-bend for one thing.

    • saveNZ 6.4
      16 December 2016 at 8:52 am

      @Gosman – we live in a country with massive fault lines. Japan can get their roads repaired in a day. The government has had years since CHCH to take these issues seriously and do something about them. But they are more interested in feathering their own crony nests, rather than public service. As seen by Key pushing through zombie TPPA legislation one day after the earthquake. That was his priority for National government.

    • lprent 6.5
      16 December 2016 at 9:04 am

      As far as I can tell from this side of the globe, what we have is Brownlee saying that we have grandiose plans to completely re-engineer the routes over the next 5 years to deal with an earthquake in another 30 years.

      And we have some hard headed locals saying that they should just get the fucking existing routes patched – then Brownlee can start hisending jerkoff grandiose plans.

      As it happens, I agree with the farmer.

      • Gosman 6.5.1
        16 December 2016 at 10:46 am

        Except they are talking about repairing the existing routes in 1 year so I don’t know where you get your information from that Brownlee is talking about 5 from.

        • adam 6.5.1.1
          16 December 2016 at 9:34 pm

          Desperate spin from Gossy again.

          Dude do you ever atual look at anything apart from your usual ideological position? Can you for one minute actually have some empathy for people, rather than play politics with their lives?

      • Eyre 6.5.2
        16 December 2016 at 10:51 am

        Is hisending a word

      • Once was and others etc 6.5.3
        16 December 2016 at 8:45 pm

        It’s quite interesting to look back over NZ’s history at major rail and road projects and compare the time taken (with primitive tools) to complete.
        Apparently the amount of crap that needs to be cleared is equivalent to 300 olympic swimming pools.
        Admitedly that’s a shit load but it doesn’t actually seem beyond the capability of today’s mechanical equipment for it to have been removed by now if enough resources were thrown at it.
        Despite all those false images of guys leaning on shovels doing fuck all we used to here about during the start of the neo-liberal revolution, I’m thinking had the old Ministry of Works still been around, progress would be a fucking sight better than what we see today
        (Pardon the French)

    • Muttonbird 6.6
      16 December 2016 at 9:16 am

      What reason would the government have not to try and sort out the problems with transportation as quickly as they can?

      Cost.

      • ropata 6.6.1
        16 December 2016 at 11:32 am

        +! yep, nothing is more important to Bling than his precious surplus

        • Gosman 6.6.1.1
          16 December 2016 at 11:46 am

          Many of you lot have been bleating on at them for the past 8 years for running up debt but now you’re call with them being fiscally conservative. Go figure.

          • WILD KATIPO 6.6.1.1.1
            16 December 2016 at 4:52 pm

            No,.. what people have been ‘ bleating about’ has been the gross displays of incompetence and anti democratic tactics used by Brownlee and co as displayed by the Christchurch earthquake fiasco.

            Once bitten , twice shy.

          • ropata 6.6.1.1.2
            16 December 2016 at 11:47 pm

            Did you forget all the Nats party promises to balance the budget and give everyone tax cuts? And FJK prancing around on TV chanting “show me the money”? And all their stupid nit picking of Labour policy costings, all the while they are flushing away billions on roads of no significance, or building sheep farms in the desert. The Nats favourite lie is being fiscal conservatives — yeah right, only for marketing purposes.

            When it comes to public services, there’s no money. But somehow there are a lot of handouts for big business and strange pet projects like charter schools and social bonds.

    • Tricledrown 6.7
      16 December 2016 at 10:29 am

      Brownlee is a recidivist promise the earth and not deliver.
      A Close friend in the National Party said when Bill English lost the 2002 election They looked at Brownlee but said they he was to much of a Bully even to his own fellow MP’s

    • aerobubble 6.8
      16 December 2016 at 11:33 am

      Its not that we have the pop of Japan, or its economy, its how there were no farm tracks to turn into bypasses. Sure a couple of hundrend years may mean we dont yet have those back ways. Hopefully farmers realize they take a hit when their region gets clobbered and having walkers tracking across their land like ants may just expose the routes that would add resilience to their businesses and community.

    • WILD KATIPO 6.9
      16 December 2016 at 4:49 pm

      @ Gosman

      This also shows you are not a farmer, operate a fishing or tourist business or any other type of person that earns their living by being hands on.

      What you really are is an IT white collar type individual that earns their living by sitting on their arse in an air conditioned office environment typing politically motivated sycophantic and condescending ill informed bullshit that is totally irrelevant to the issues faced by people in the real world.

      And how do I know you are an IT white collar type person?

      Because you admitted it once before in another post.

    • michelle 6.10
      21 December 2016 at 8:54 am

      Of course you would support bully boy brownlee Gosman do you understand the frustration of the people who were effected bully boy Brownlee needs to shut his big fat foul mouth and do his bloody job he gets paid for, if he wants the power and the responsibility that comes with the job. If he cant handle the heat get the f out of the kitchen bully boy brownlee.

  7. Ad 7
    16 December 2016 at 8:52 am

    Kaikoura is in for a smaller version of the Christchurch rebuild.

    While that sounds a little obvious, reinstating massive infrastructure doesn’t take months.

    It takes years.

    I have no problem with the people of Kaikoura losing it with politicians.
    But that SH1 and line line job will take at least five years to complete.
    The seismic strengthening design work alone could take 18 months.
    Then there’s the consenting. Then there’s construction itself.

    That little Kaikoura harbour upgrade is no simple job either.

    There is a wide, wide gap between filling people’s basic needs for food and shelter, and getting the longer range facilities up and running.

    By the time all the infrastructure rebuilds are done, society will have moved; tourist operators will figure out how to launch whalewatching from other more temporary sites. Bus tour operators will perhaps operate from Blenheim more. Perhaps the entire tourism industry from Picton to Christchurch will shift more to wine.

    Kaikoura – like Christchurch – is never going to have the same society again.

    • saveNZ 7.1
      16 December 2016 at 9:00 am

      See comment above AD about Japan. The National government has had years to be organised for disasters, but fails every time, badly. Finland as well, has months of snow and ice but gets all their roads done in a few months.

      It’s not just earthquakes either, every where you go in Auckland there is congestion from roadworks – often unnecessary – while necessary road upgrades go un fixed. A 3 day job takes 2 weeks or more. A friend up North was saying roadworkers have been working 2 years on a piece of road near him, it’s not that big a job, but there is a basic lack of competence, organisation, will power to get something fixed in a timely manner and so forth.

      NZ has become obsessed with process, having as many middle people as possible to clip the ticket and outsource everything to multiple parties with the end result, poorly trained workers on minimum wages while millions are being siphoned off. This is the result. Nothing gets done quickly or efficiently.

      P.S – no surprise to me that the Auckland AT/Council workers were found guilty of corruption in the high court recently. And my guess, is that that is the tip of the ice burg.

      • Ad 7.1.1
        16 December 2016 at 9:38 am

        We’re not the same culture as Japan and we never will.

        We don’t have comparable money in either the public or private sectors.
        We don’t have works departments now in either Council or government.
        We have a really different safety culture.
        We have a really stretched infrastructure and construction sector.
        We have only average skills levels.
        It’s not useful to compare us to Japan.

        The government is incredibly disaggregated for facing crises of this magnitude – I’d certainly agree with you there.
        I seriously would like to see far stronger coordination by DPMC of civil defence, NZTA, Kiwirail, Housing NZ, Armed Forces, Electricity Commission and Transpower, WorkSafe, local Councils, etc.

        The Opposition could do worse than propose how all of this will be planned in future to ensure that we are better prepared for the next one.

        • saveNZ 7.1.1.1
          16 December 2016 at 10:44 am

          @ ADI think you may have answered part of the question with your co ordination of civil defence, NZTA, Kiwirail, Housing NZ, Armed Forces, Electricity Commission and Transpower, WorkSafe, local Councils, etc….

          Too many organisations talking about co ordination, not enough co ordination and doing.

          For a start the defence force should be trained to be a big part of the civil defence. Don’t worry about private contractors in a disaster. Send a well trained army, navy, airforce with technical skills in there. Have them with purpose diggers and machinery flown in to save people within hours of disaster. Have sniffer dogs and so forth flown out. Have a proper community response like each neighbour checks each neighbour. etc etc. Then have the next defence teams rebuilding the roads, power, telecoms. etc etc.

          In the old days, you actually learnt a skill in the defence force like engineering or telecoms. Not sure if that is still the case. I think the biggest risk to NZ safety now is actually on the civil defence side, so we need to utilise the defence force for that dual role. They have the man power and their used to be real skills there.

          Gone are the days when defence should be spending billions on frigates that don’t even work in high seas just to do training exercises off the coast of Scotland. Even in a defence situation what use are those gigantic frigates – just get an army of drones onto them and they are toast anyway. They can’t even catch pirate fishermen according to Murray McCully. That is how useless our defence has become. The aircraft never work either due to lack of maintenance.

          Again it is 20th century thinking and it’s way out of date. Fighting is different now, technology is different now, and one of the biggest threats may just be getting water, food and power and recovery in disasters.

          As for private electricity and telecoms infrastructure – they are now completely reliant on poorly trained most migrant workers and the poor level state of that sector (just try to get a new land line and you will see what happens) or ring telecom and hear that it is a 1 hour wait (is that a joke, seriously in a telecoms company!). All staffed by mountains of middle and upper managers ‘co ordinating’ it all.

          I really think it is a lack of creativity and fiefdoms in the organisations that are the issue. The governments needs to seriously look at what the future holds – (the answer is in the past 5 years of what has been the biggest threats to life in NZ).

          Sadly I think this is too much common sense for National, but maybe under Labour coalition they can actually use it to make our country safer as well as create jobs and up skill people. Maybe we can actually go back to our no 8 wire mentality and actually defence is used for helping and saving Kiwis and other allies not killing people in wars we should not be part of.

        • Draco T Bastard 7.1.1.2
          16 December 2016 at 11:24 am

          We don’t have comparable money in either the public or private sectors.

          What’s money got to do with it?

          We don’t have works departments now in either Council or government.

          Which is really silly because it’s the government that does most of the construction work in the country.

          We have a really stretched infrastructure and construction sector.

          That seems to be the result of the profit drive.

          We have only average skills levels.

          What the hell does that even mean? Average of what? And if we don’t have the necessary skills then we need to be training those skills up.

          Although< i think you'll find that it's not lack of skills that's the problem but lack of people. In our efforts to do things cheaply we don't hire enough people to do the job, we don't train them well enough and we pay them SFA meaning that they're looking to leave ASAP.

          The government is incredibly disaggregated for facing crises of this magnitude – I’d certainly agree with you there.

          And the reason why is because we’ve gone the route of privatisation. It’s impossible to coordinate when the government is working through a bunch of companies that are competing with each other and are unwilling to share anything.

          • Ad 7.1.1.2.1
            16 December 2016 at 11:35 am

            We don’t have a lot of money to spare to rebuild things particularly in infrastructure. Rail of course isn’t funded independently as motorways are. Even in the public sector, having enough money is a real issue. We are a pretty small state to have to deal with the number of natural crises that hit – and incredibly lucky that we are in a sweet spot for tax revenue.

            The infrastructure companies are stretched because there’s an incredible amount of work to be done for the next several years. If you would like to see the margins at which they operate, the winning bids for public work are always published via Tenderlink.

            We certainly need to be training more people to build and rebuild infrastructure. There’s still lots of skills we have very few of – tunnelling for example.Most A and B Grade tunnellers get poached to work in Dubai or Hong Kong for far better money than public clients are prepared to fund here. The infrastructure industry really is stretched for capacity, and it’s not that easy to get staff and their families to move here.

            Privatisation was not something I ever supported, but it’s from an era over 30 years ago, and there’s no reversing it within the current parliamentary parties or any foreseeable government. Coherence is both the least and the most to expect now.

            • Draco T Bastard 7.1.1.2.1.1
              16 December 2016 at 1:00 pm

              We are a pretty small state to have to deal with the number of natural crises that hit

              True but that’s got nothing to do with money.

              The infrastructure companies are stretched because there’s an incredible amount of work to be done for the next several years.

              Yep. There is. To get it done requires redirecting people and resources from what they’re doing now to getting them to do what needs to be done. A large number could come from the unemployed of course but some less valued industries would probably also take a cut.

              The infrastructure industry really is stretched for capacity, and it’s not that easy to get staff and their families to move here.

              But our economy isn’t.

              And that doesn’t even take into account the massive productivity increase that’s available through automation.

              We could do a hell of a lot more with the proper development.

              Privatisation was not something I ever supported, but it’s from an era over 30 years ago, and there’s no reversing it within the current parliamentary parties or any foreseeable government. Coherence is both the least and the most to expect now.

              Well, we certainly won’t see any change with that sort of attitude. Surely it’s better to demand that our systems do change?

              There’s still lots of skills we have very few of – tunnelling for example.Most A and B Grade tunnellers get poached to work in Dubai or Hong Kong for far better money than public clients are prepared to fund here.

              Didn’t have any issues when we got that big machine in to dig the tunnel for Auckland’s newest motorway. Probably because it’s all done by the machine.

            • saveNZ 7.1.1.2.1.2
              16 December 2016 at 3:52 pm

              @Ad again you are answering your own issues … we have low wages and conditions and therefore we can’t attract highly paid skilled workers. Maybe time to rethink this, by either training our own people and increasing wages and conditions to make sure the workers stay. After Pike River, who wants to work underground anymore?

              ” – “There’s still lots of skills we have very few of – tunnelling for example.Most A and B Grade tunnellers get poached to work in Dubai or Hong Kong for far better money than public clients are prepared to fund here.””

      • Draco T Bastard 7.1.2
        16 December 2016 at 9:42 am

        A friend up North was saying roadworkers have been working 2 years on a piece of road near him, it’s not that big a job, but there is a basic lack of competence, organisation, will power to get something fixed in a timely manner and so forth.

        Part of the problem of dumping the MoW and council construction departments is that you end up with private companies that are really only there to rort the government and get the biggest profit they can out of it.

        NZ has become obsessed with process, having as many middle people as possible to clip the ticket and outsource everything to multiple parties with the end result, poorly trained workers on minimum wages while millions are being siphoned off. This is the result. Nothing gets done quickly or efficiently.

        QFT

        This is the exact opposite of what we were promised from privatisation.

        • Once was and others etc 7.1.2.1
          16 December 2016 at 8:59 pm

          QFT (see my comment above)

          Seems all those promises of ‘efficiency and effectiveness’ haven’t actually come to pass.

          It kind of reminds me of Douglas’ rant about the old NZPO when we used to have to wait 8 weeks for a phone line. (Not that I ever had that problem for a start)

          Don’t know about you…..but have you tried to get fibre connected?
          3 weeks of bullshit excuses (such as we have to get permission to climb the pole)
          a few more weeks to find someone to do the work, then actually have it done,
          then a few more to have someone come and clean up the complete fuckup made in the first attempt.

    • lprent 7.2
      16 December 2016 at 9:07 am

      The key is to start patching now. Do the re-engineering later.

      Sure we could get large event in the next 5 years. But it is more likely that it will be 50

      • Ad 7.2.1
        16 December 2016 at 9:39 am

        Agree they have to start patching now.

      • mac1 7.2.2
        16 December 2016 at 10:36 am

        The patching has begun on the alternate route to ChCh from Blenheim. Travelled that road twice this week. Passed 165 trucks on the road- helped pass the time over the Lewis Pass. Also saw ten police cars.

        Some dozen road works encountered-patch jobs being done, installation of a bailey bridge, widening and repairs.

        A journey of 320 kms has become one of 460 kms- a four hour journey now over six hours.

        This will be the norm for twelve months, winter included, before SH1 is restored.

        40% longer journey, 50% more fuel, 15% charge for trucking costs extra.

        The truckies were courteous, and speeds very well disciplined especially through the repair sections where damage can so easily occur. Passed two truck accident scenes, though, which threatened a further detour of another 120 kms.

        Restoring SH1 is a big deal, along with the railway.

    • Tricledrown 7.3
      16 December 2016 at 10:38 am

      So Ad you are partially right but Japan fixed up their earthquake damages being far worse.
      In a quarter of the time.
      Brownlee make these sound bite promises then fails to deliver.
      Brownlee deserves what he gets.

    • keepcalmcarryon 7.4
      16 December 2016 at 12:53 pm

      Kaikoura is not christchurch.

      I should put that in capitals.
      This has so far been one of the biggest most glaring false suppositions from the start. Civil defence controllers winging in from the big smoke to help a miniature christchurch, as they saw it.
      Initial emergency response was only in town for days, even a few hundred meters off the main road noone was checking let alone further out. With no communication, supplies, medical care water were all distributed to townspeople in the crucial first few days. In case you arent aware, kaikoura has a significant part of its population living rurally (half?) who just didnt know supplies were there, or if they did, they couldnt get in.
      Unlike christchurch there was instant isolation for the town and a decison to concentrate resources on the Inland road – a windy narrow access way requiring the consent (apparantly) of no less than 6 ticket clippers to open for registered one way convoy traffic on any given day. Any sprinkle of rain and at least one of these people is likely to close traffic. This is after a month, the road isnt actually too bad, its always had loose rock at the whales back but less bureaucrats.

      With just 2 weeks of work and far less resources the road south from kaikoura is almost open. Why didnt that get priority? Let alone bringing in outside work crews some having to billet in kaikoura when local certified contractors arent allowed to even start work?
      Dumb decions were also made not allowing farmers to move around on their own roads “for their own safety”.

      The kaikoura community is very tight, you would not understand that if you come from a big city Ad.
      It WILL be the same community after things are fixed even if the town looks different.
      And its not all bad either, there is a chance to improve on some of the old infrastructure, – bigger runway? Deeper harbour to get cruise boats closer in? its just about keeping small businesses (including local contractors) afloat until its done.

  8. Richard Christie 8
    16 December 2016 at 9:05 am

    “How do you think I feel? Sitting here looking at this and nothing happening,

    i.e. Gerry agrees that nothing has happened.

    What’s there to get in a tizzy about then?

    He’s seriously confused.

  9. saveNZ 9
    16 December 2016 at 9:07 am

    Sinkhole repaired in days.

    http://edition.cnn.com/2016/11/15/asia/fukuoka-sinkhole-filled/index.html

    How the Dutch build a tunnel under a highway in one weekend

    • Draco T Bastard 9.1
      16 December 2016 at 9:44 am

      And how much preparation went in to being able to do just that piece in the weekend?

      • Rosemary McDonald 9.1.1
        16 December 2016 at 10:21 am

        There are companies here in Godzone who can do that work….mostly farming and rural applications but there would be no problems scaling up.

        http://www.bridgeitnz.co.nz/our-bridges/c/26?gclid=CKS92OeN99ACFQubvQod_wcKYA

        http://www.selectbridges.co.nz/?gclid=CJ7njYSO99ACFZRvvAoduJsHSA

        I’m sure I heard yesterday the Kaikoura locals were asking why local contractors were not doing this work….surely in an emergency those companies with existing contracts with NZTA would not get all precious about protecting their patch?

        Second thoughts…they would.

        I have spent a lot of the time around the highways and the byways of New Zealand. It never ceases to impress me the sheer ingenuity of those who have constructed roads through some most uncooperative and unforgiving terrain. Not only the designers and engineers, but the workers teetering on cliff edges in their diggers, carefully scraping off another bucket of dirt so we can ‘get through’.

        We do this road building stuff really, really well in New Zealand…considering we have an unusually unstable geology.

        • Kevin 9.1.1.1
          16 December 2016 at 11:23 am

          “I’m sure I heard yesterday the Kaikoura locals were asking why local contractors were not doing this work….surely in an emergency those companies with existing contracts with NZTA would not get all precious about protecting their patch?”

          —

          Depends on how much you donate to the National Party. Ask yourself why you can count the number of major roading companies on less than the fingers of one hand…

        • Draco T Bastard 9.1.1.2
          16 December 2016 at 11:28 am

          We do this road building stuff really, really well in New Zealand…considering we have an unusually unstable geology.

          Yep, I’m pretty sure that we do.

          I was more commenting about the video and the claim that it was all done in a weekend when it’s obvious from the video that there was a hell of a lot of preparation that went into making it so that that final part could be done in the weekend. I’m pretty sure that our construction people would do the same thing here.

          • Rosemary McDonald 9.1.1.2.1
            16 December 2016 at 12:10 pm

            I understand that when they say “all done in a weekend” they mean “traffic will only be disrupted” for the weekend.

            It quite unreasonable for the public to expect to continue using a section of road when major repairs or engineering is being done. Yet we almost always expect our journeys to continue along the same route regardless of the work being done to maintain that route.

          • saveNZ 9.1.1.2.2
            16 December 2016 at 4:10 pm

            “We do this road building stuff really, really well in New Zealand…considering we have an unusually unstable geology”.

            Are you crazy? Our roads are a joke in the western world! I think we have the worst run of accidents in the OECD and I’ve seen similar roads in the third world in Africa and Asia to some in Auckland.

            Seriously, you must have a different set of roading contractors where you live if you think we do good road building in NZ.

            And as for unstable geology – we have a temperate climate, other countries have snow, ice, tornados, hurricanes, deserts etc

            I don’t think geology should be an excuse for bad and slow workmanship.

            • Draco T Bastard 9.1.1.2.2.1
              16 December 2016 at 4:51 pm

              We’re not the best and so there is room for improvement but we don’t appear to be as bad as you think.

              IMO, Most of our infrastructure failure comes from trying to do it as cheaply as possible rather than as good as possible. The result is often that it costs more.

              • saveNZ …
                16 December 2016 at 5:38 pm

                Yep our build em cheap and slow as possible seems to be a theme in this country.

                Not saying we are not able to do better, just that at present the status quo on roading building management is poor and the road building is slow and not built to last long in many cases.

                Not sure how rail maintenance compares. Maybe less cost there in the long run!

  10. Ch-ch Chiquita 10
    16 December 2016 at 9:08 am

    Well, no one expected Brownlee to tell the truth, now did they? No one wants to hear that the rebuild will take years, that businesses will bankrupt, that you will need to fight with EQC, then with insurance all while trying to figure out how to survive and when you express your frustration some people tell you, you can go and live somewhere else.
    I feel for the people of Kaikoura that are having to face the same problems Christchurch is still facing.

  11. Muttonbird 11
    16 December 2016 at 9:14 am

    Brownlee blaming people for being angry.

    Oh, the ironing.

  12. Cinny 12
    16 December 2016 at 10:00 am

    Talk back is alive with anti Brownlee phone calls, they are not happy those locals, they are angry with him, and fair enough too.

    • alwyn 12.1
      16 December 2016 at 10:20 am

      I suggest you listen to the item at the link just below.
      Are you really sure that it is the locals who are unhappy or is just a few left leaning residents of some of our cities who have no idea of what farmers are really like?

      • WILD KATIPO 12.1.1
        16 December 2016 at 5:04 pm

        Im not sure if your not just being entirely sycophantic again , alwyn.

        The evidence is that not all farmers lick Nationals shoes either… otherwise the longstanding National party seat of Northland wouldn’t have been a landslide victory for Winston Peters.

        I wouldn’t get too gleeful in thinking farmers are just a bunch of unthinking morons who hang off every word that dribbles from the office of National party HQ, if I were you…

        • alwyn 12.1.1.1
          16 December 2016 at 5:25 pm

          Well I am quite sure they aren’t silly enough to listen to any of the words that dribble from you.
          I am glad that you now realise how silly you are and I hope you can remember your statement. Try to keep to your claim the “I wouldn’t get to gleeful” in future. It hasn’t worked very well for you in the past to treat the majority of the New Zealand population as being silly has it?
          23% and led by Mr 8%.

          • Muttonbird 12.1.1.1.1
            16 December 2016 at 5:28 pm

            You know the Nats and their wide-eyed followers are in trouble when reference to the polls come out.

            It’s been happening a lot lately.

          • swordfish 12.1.1.1.2
            16 December 2016 at 6:12 pm

            “and (Labour) led by Mr 8%”

            Last time English led the National Party (late 2003), he scored a resounding 5% as Preferred PM.

  13. alwyn 13
    16 December 2016 at 10:17 am

    I suggest that all the urban socialists and Wadestown wadicals contributing to this rant about Brownlee should listen to the item from Morning Report today where they talked to a farmer in the area who was there at the meeting.
    http://www.radionz.co.nz/audio/player?audio_id=201827905

    Try listening to the section that starts at about 2m 50s and goes for the next minute or so.
    The farmer describes Brownlee’s response as “I thought he was brilliant” and a little bit further on as “I thought Gerry handled it beautifully”.

    The farmer, who was a cousin of the person you think Gerry was being rude to, certainly doesn’t think the people there were being treated dismissively does he?

    Perhaps those of you who live sheltered lives in the coffee houses of the Auckland CDB should see how an MP like Gerry can get on with people from another kind of life. If the Labour and Green MPs could learn from this they might end up with a bit more of the vote in elections.

    • Cinny 13.1
      16 December 2016 at 11:15 am

      Alwyn the people ringing up are Kaikoura locals on Radio Live and not “a few left leaning residents of some of our cities who have no idea of what farmers are really like” … side note have you been a farmer too?

      I don’t usually listen to RNZ, but I will to hear the opinion of ONE farmer.

      Alwyn the link does not work for me, i get the RNZ media player, but the media shows it is 0.00 long “No item playing” can you supply another link please that works. Thankies

      • alwyn 13.1.1
        16 December 2016 at 11:30 am

        Try playing it from here.
        http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/201827905/kaikoura-farmers-demand-progress-on-sh-1

        “have you been a farmer too”.
        I was never a farmer but my parents came from farming families and I had relatives (Uncles and cousins) who were. I also spent my school holidays, a long time ago, working on a sheep farm when I was at secondary school and I knew quite a lot of other people who were farmers. They were then, and probably still are now, a great deal blunter in their speech than townies ever were. I can’t imagine any of them being upset by what Gerry said.

        • Cinny 13.1.1.1
          16 December 2016 at 11:58 am

          I’ve done farming, so have my children, this girl comes from a family of farmers and educators. You think farmers are blunt, try spending some time in the fishing industry lololz.

          Thanks for the link that one works, still it’s only the opinion of one farmer and one wonders whom he voted for last election.

          Excuse my skepticism but it’s warranted with all the crap media has been putting out and the outgoing government too.

          Sooo you can use the opinion of one farmer to form your opinion, but me I’ll use the opinion of more than one local in Kaikoura. Might go for a drive next week find out for myself.

          • alwyn 13.1.1.1.1
            16 December 2016 at 12:59 pm

            I will take you word for the fishing industry.
            I think it is a shame that most young people today don’t have any connection with the farming industry. Even something as simple as getting to feed an orphaned lamb is not part of their experience.

            Consider though, if you will, something before talking to people who weren’t present at the English/Brownlee meeting with the locals. The person who was interviewed this morning was actually present at the meeting with English and Brownlee. He didn’t just get a 10 second clip on TV or read something in the paper.
            He was also related to, and seemingly liked, the original local speaker.
            He still, from a position of knowing and seeing everything that went on, described Gerry as “brilliant” and “handled it beautifully”.
            He wasn’t being fed a line by the msm, was he? He was there.

            • Cinny 13.1.1.1.1.1
              16 December 2016 at 6:46 pm

              THE PERSON, mhmmm one person, best we all take their word for it, no need to ask anyone else.

              LMFAO, how naive do you think the NZ public is Alwyn? You fellas got fluoride in the water up there or something?

              • alwyn …
                16 December 2016 at 9:00 pm

                “no need to ask anyone else. ”
                Of course you should talk to other people. I ask only that you consider the views of somebody who was at the meeting rather than ignore them and take the opinion of the hard-left employees of Radio New Zealand and TVNZ and their carefully arranged 10 second clips.

        • dukeofurl 13.1.1.2
          16 December 2016 at 4:46 pm

          So Brownlee rang up the local MP to tell him get some one from the party in front of the microphone tout suite to counter the ‘real grumpy farmer’

          • alwyn 13.1.1.2.1
            16 December 2016 at 5:28 pm

            You certainly have a vivid, if somewhat paranoid, imagination don’t you?
            The guy I listened to wasn’t a bit happy but he still seemed to think Brownlee had handled it pretty well.

          • Muttonbird 13.1.1.2.2
            16 December 2016 at 5:35 pm

            That’s how the Nat machine operates for sure. Someone from the party runs interference. Pity the media are not up to stating that that is the case.

    • Red 13.2
      16 December 2016 at 12:59 pm

      Green with labour will fix the roads, they love roads and also won’t let rma, taniwhas or west coast snails get in the way

    • McFlock 13.3
      16 December 2016 at 1:59 pm

      So they found a nat farmer who thought it was brilliant – the cousin also repeatedly said that people were frustrated because “nothing’s happened”. Stirling defense there.

      But whatevs. If the House was the other way and little had said exactly what Brownlee said and in exactly the same tone, you’d be recycling the “Angry Andy” bullshit.

    • swordfish 13.4
      16 December 2016 at 7:17 pm

      An erudite little bon mot from alwyn “Wadestown wadicals”

      Oh dear. You’ve been reading Karl Du Fresne again, haven’t you, darling. We’ve warned you about that before.

      For the sake of your – and Du Fresne’s – enlightenment, the affluent burghers of Wadestown almost always lean Right. Certainly they’re rather more evenly split than similarly affluent Auckland suburbs (in the east and on the North Shore) … but, then, that’s true of most higher income suburbs in Wellington City. Less likely to be money-grubbing little Neo-Lib fucks, possessing the ethics and integrity of your average alley cat.

      • alwyn 13.4.1
        16 December 2016 at 8:54 pm

        Really?
        “Wadestown almost always lean Right”.
        Have you ever looked at the numbers?
        There were 2 polling places in Wadestown in the electorate.
        One had 388 votes for the Labour candidate and 134 for the National one.
        The second polling place had 115 for the Labour candidate and 55 for the National one.
        United Future and the Greens also did well.
        Where did you leave your brain when you came out with that rubbish, darling?

        • swordfish 13.4.1.1
          16 December 2016 at 10:05 pm

          Oh, alwyn, you are a card !!!

          Fancy you thinking you could pull that little sleight of hand and get away with it scot-free !!! … Whatever were you thinking, my love ???

          Now, darling, if someone wanted to deduce whether or not the good burghers of Wadestown lean to the political Right … do you think they should expend their (no doubt limited) time and energy on:

          (1) The Party Vote ?

          or

          (2) The Candidate Vote ?

          I’d suggest most rational people (and, more specifically, people who – unlike your good self – weren’t desperate to win an argument through fair means or foul) would go very much for the former … given that, you know, the Party Vote expresses someone’s core political allegiance.

          It’s a matter of great regret that you’ve tried to quietly smuggle in the Candidate Vote figures … apparently on the off-chance that I … and others … wouldn’t notice.

          So, let’s be serious about this for a minute, shall we Doll ? …

          Wadestown 2014 General Election Party Vote

          Right Bloc …. 52%

          Left Bloc …… 45%

          So, I mean, come on alwyn, don’t piss me about, you young scamp. You’re just wasting everyone’s time.

        • swordfish 13.4.1.2
          16 December 2016 at 10:49 pm

          Oh and of course that wasn’t your only swifty, was it alwyn.

          You also very conveniently managed to “inadvertently forget” that this is Peter Dunne’s seat and a clear majority of Nats strategically cast their vote in his direction.

          Once again, how endearing of you to think that you could get away with focussing exclusively on the Labour and National candidates’ figures in this very particular electoral context.

          You’ve obviously had a bit of an old go at including some sort of get-out clause by lamely admitting: “United Future and the Greens also did well.” Ummmm, you know UF’s candidate – one Peter Francis Dunne – actually won the seat, don’t you ? And – combined with candidates from the other parties of the Right – beat the aggregate Left Bloc candidates’ vote in Wadestown …

          Wadestown Aggregate Candidate Vote

          Aggregate Right … 51%

          Aggregate Left … 49%

          But, as I say, the Candidate Vote is very much a red herring on your part, in any case.
          I expected better from a loyal member of the old guard. A defender of old-fashioned aspirational middle class values. Where’s your sense of honour, my good man ???

          • alwyn 13.4.1.2.1
            17 December 2016 at 12:09 am

            Oh darling.
            Your masterly defence of the indefensible completely sweeps me of my feet.
            Oh, how I swoon under your influence.
            Reality however sets in.
            Bugger off you creepy old bastard.
            You may be desperate but you really are pushing it to say that the Wadestown Wadicals voted for the Labour Party candidate even though they were pro National.
            Are you really that stupid?

            • swordfish 13.4.1.2.1.1
              17 December 2016 at 2:29 am

              “you creepy old bastard”

              Hilarious !
              I think you may be looking in the mirror, there, alwyn
              (not least, given that you’re (1) male, (2) appreciably older than me (3) in a permanent state of anger and (4) somewhat obsessive, displaying more than a few classic stalking tendencies on this site)

              “you really are pushing it to say that the Wadestown Wadicals voted for the Labour Party candidate even though they were pro National.
              Are you really that stupid?”

              alwyn, alwyn, alwyn. This really is as weak as dishwater – it just won’t do. You’re insulting our collective intelligence. The Right won the Party Vote – and, indeed, the Candidate Vote – in Wadestown. (not that the latter tells us anything about their core political allegiance) And very few Tories in the suburb (or in the seat as a whole) both (1) Party Voted National and (2) Candidate Voted Labour’s Andersen.

              Now, I know you’re uber-competitive, alwyn. You clearly hate losing. But time to give up, my Tory chum. You’ve lost, you’ve been caught out telling a few little porkies. Your somewhat hysterical lashing out highlights the fact. Sort yourself out, Move on and let’s hear no more about it.

              • alwyn …
                17 December 2016 at 9:59 am

                “insulting our collective intelligence”.
                Really? You claim to have some? Little is exhibited.

                ” And very few Tories in the suburb (or in the seat as a whole) both (1) Party Voted National and (2) Candidate Voted Labour’s Andersen”
                Without access to the voting papers and being able to determine who cast the vote it is completely impossible for you to know how they voted.
                Surely you didn’t breach the privacy around the vote and check how people voted.

                “Move on and let’s hear no more about it”
                I’m sorry if the truth upsets you. You really aren’t obliged to read what I say you know. If it upsets you don’t bother reading it. It will only play havoc with your blood pressure readings and cause ringing in your ears.

  14. Adrian 14
    16 December 2016 at 11:44 am

    For Alwyn and his cohort of excuse makers for the Nats, the people at Kekerengu are died – in- the-wool Nat voters, have been for decades and decades.
    The last time the Nats lost the country in 1999, on that same coast the local Nat MP Doug Kidd had to escape out the back window of a local hall in the middle of a campaign meeting because he told the local farmers after 3 years of drought that they would “have to become more efficient”.
    Cockies stayed away in droves from voting in 1999, they don’t forget arrogance quickly.

    • alwyn 14.1
      16 December 2016 at 11:58 am

      I’m not sure what relevance you anecdote has to what I was saying.
      Probably helps support my statement above that
      “They were then, and probably still are now, a great deal blunter in their speech than townies ever were” I suppose.

      “The last time the Nats lost the country in 1999”. Amazing. We must have been living in alternate universes in 2002 and 2005. I really thought that Labour, not National formed the Government after those General Elections.

    • mac1 14.2
      16 December 2016 at 1:12 pm

      In 1999, Doug Kidd even went on the list rather than face the wrath of locals. The winning National candidate, Dr Scott, actually got less votes than the Labour candidate in Marlborough, which was the larger part of the Kaikoura electorate along with North Canterbury), primarily because Marlburians did not like the so-called Bradford electricity reforms which arbitrarily and arrogantly took away ownership from the community of the power generation arm of Marlborough Power.

      At a public meeting then Doug Kidd was asked from the podium where he was when the power reforms stripped away community ownership of Marlborough generation, because he voted for them.

      The backlash was evident in Marlborough.

      With MMP now offering two votes for party and candidate, there is a way in which locals can express their dissatisfaction with this arrogance and dismissiveness, along with just staying away. Witness Northland last year.

      1999 was the end of three terms of National, fronting with an unelected PM Shipley; parallel with today.

      • alwyn 14.2.1
        17 December 2016 at 12:11 am

        Is that like Trevor Mallard?
        Poor old Trevor. Gone but certainly not missed.

        • mac1 14.2.1.1
          17 December 2016 at 9:24 am

          Alwyn, I would hate to face you on a turning pitch, such is your spin. Your googly above is so difficult to read that even you might not know which way it will turn. However, I won’t be out for a duck.

  15. Ethica 15
    16 December 2016 at 12:40 pm

    After the 7.8 earthquake Gerry Brownlee and the Government wanted to put a big fence around the Wellington CBD and forget about it, much as happened in Christchurch. But our new Labour Mayor Justin Lester stood up to them. A few buildings were identified as dodgy (and some dodgy building owners were discovered in the process) and barricades put up only around them. Justin has also had to negotiate hard to get employment and other support for those affected, from a Government reluctant to support the Capital. He is an example of how a leader from the left works – ethically and collaboratively. It’s not about photo ops, empty promises and ego.

    • alwyn 15.1
      16 December 2016 at 1:01 pm

      I am sure you have some evidence for this story?
      The fact that Brownlee thought some checking should be done before announcing that everything was fine seemed quite sensible to me.

    • Infused 15.2
      16 December 2016 at 1:21 pm

      lol, bullshit. they did not. it was a few lefties that wanted to do that ‘building safety, ctv etc’.

      shutting down the cbd would have killed wellington.

  16. Guerilla Surgeon 16
    16 December 2016 at 1:07 pm

    If they voted for National, they’ve got every right to complain often and loud. After all, there’s no one else to blame, they own this.

  17. David 17
    16 December 2016 at 5:07 pm

    I just want to know one thing about our latest seismological fuck up, where are the Army engineers? We have a few of them, we train them for disaster relief, we have the capability to put their earthmoving equipment on the shore, where it is needed. We should have sent the senior most army engineer to oversee the relief efforts, this is what we pay them for, not for fighting rich men’s wars. Instead we have the National Party, who are probably doing sweet fuck all because they’re waiting for their mates to put the tenders for the big jobs. It’s one great big cock sucking, commercial clusterfuck. No wonder Bill is happy to oversee this shit show, he is the man that gypped the system so we’d pay his mortgage for him, the troughing dickweed.

    • WILD KATIPO 17.1
      16 December 2016 at 5:16 pm

      { ” Instead we have the National Party, who are probably doing sweet fuck all because they’re waiting for their mates to put the tenders for the big jobs. ” }

      And here is a person who has NAILED IT.

      Go to the top of the class.

    • saveNZ 17.2
      16 December 2016 at 5:47 pm

      I agree David. When disaster strikes I would like to see the defence force turning up and saving lives within hours of any disaster and being the workforce to repair the roads and infrastructure quickly.

      Rather than having the current fight between 10 different groups public, private, COO’s, SOE’s to co ordinate most of them, with little interest in a fast outcome but more in ensuring they maximise their profit while reducing any liability for themselves. That is their priority to their ‘shareholders’ not getting critical infrastructure back and saving lives!

    • Ad 17.3
      16 December 2016 at 5:59 pm

      We don’t have the US Army Engineers Corps.

      We just have the Armed Forces – small though they are – who did their job throughout the crisis.

      You’ve just watched too many war movies.

      • David 17.3.1
        16 December 2016 at 6:47 pm

        You are right, I have watched too many movies. But I am still right, the army has all that capability, what they don’t have is the go ahead to operate without the go ahead from Government. They are capable of more than filling sandbags, operating shovels or shifting food and water.

        • Muttonbird 17.3.1.1
          16 December 2016 at 6:52 pm

          According to Ad this was is the best disaster response by any government anywhere in the history of all disasters.

          So much so that locals are turning up to press pieces to vent their anger 4 weeks after the event.

  18. Macro 18
    16 December 2016 at 6:20 pm

    I have a friend who lives to the north of Coromandel. I asked him last night how long it took him to get home.
    “It depends if the road is open or not”, he replied.
    Some may recall this storm of over 2 years ago:
    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/10207751/Coromandel-after-the-storm
    Yes they are still working on repairing the damage done to the road by that storm over 2 years ago.
    Damage such as this on coastal and roads around cliffsides can take years to repair to a safe condition. And it’s not just Kaikora where people have to wait.

  19. peterlepaysan 19
    16 December 2016 at 8:27 pm

    Honeymoon?
    The nat titillating toy boy has just walked leaving the dreary ex treasury policy wonk to continue his secondary school level economics hypotheses that chronic underfunding of state agencies is good for us.

    double dipton bill has been left a poisoned chalice of his own making.