Jami-Lee Ross runs scared

Written By: - Date published: 12:43 pm, February 10th, 2011 - 42 comments
Categories: by-election - Tags: , ,

Jami-Lee Ross is running from having any debate with his opponent in the Botany.

Michael Wood was meant to meet face off with him on Triangle TV, but he pulled out at the last minute.  He’s challenged him to any debate in general and has only received silence.

It worked for Bob Parker, this refusing to be on the same platform as his opponents; maybe that’s his inspiration.  Or maybe he’s worried his beliefs and plans won’t stand up to scrutiny.  Maybe he thinks a debate will only give his opponent coverage, and democracy is best served by being the only face in the papers, so people don’t really have a choice.

Whatever his reason, it doesn’t stack up.  The voters of Botany deserve the chance to compare the candidates to be their MP.

–

Instead of debate, the Nats have just worked on smearing the Labour candidate, saying he’s not serious because he’s told his Puketapapa Local Board constituents that he expects to still be there for them after the election.

Of course he expects to still be there – he has an 11,500 majority to overturn, and he’s not delusional.  He’s working as hard as he possibly can to do exactly that, but he’ll know what odds he has to turn over.  If he wins he’ll be very happy to have earned a proud place in one of the biggest by-election upsets in NZ history.

Now, why Jami-Lee Ross hasn’t resigned as an Auckland Councillor yet given his odds?  Well that’s another question…

42 comments on “Jami-Lee Ross runs scared ”

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  1. ghostwhowalksnz 1
    10 February 2011 at 1:01 pm

    He hasnt resigned as a Councillor because it pays a salary of $88,000 pa.

    I bet he will wait even after the election day until he officially becomes MP.

  2. mickysavage 2
    10 February 2011 at 1:28 pm

    Jami Lee may do a Peseta Sam and stay on and collect both salaries for a while.

    Interesting commentary by the right about this campaign. They have raved about how National has painted the electorate blue by putting up all these billboards but you have to have more of a campaign than just billboards. A conservative estimate is that he has spent about $10k.

    The much vaunted National machine is nowhere to be seen. Jami Lee was seen himself erecting billboards last Saturday with a couple of ring ins, including a failed local board candidate from Puketepapa. At the same time Labour had four crews and Michael had the luxury of meeting and greeting.

    I am afraid you might be right Bunji. National may try and sleep walk to victory in Botany by not engaging, just as I expect Key to do the same later on in the year. The only media I expect him to deal with is the Tony Veitch type blokesy sort.

    • The Economic Illiteracy Support Group 2.1
      10 February 2011 at 2:15 pm

      The much vaunted National machine is nowhere to be seen. Jami Lee was seen himself erecting billboards last Saturday with a couple of ring ins, including a failed local board candidate from Puketepapa. At the same time Labour had four crews and Michael had the luxury of meeting and greeting.

      This underlines the fact that National doesn’t really have anything that resembles a grass-roots support base – they have members who are prepared to write a few cheques, but my gnomes tell me their electorate committees are barely above a quorum in many electorates and that volunteers are few and far apart. So if they can continue to afford to pay professionals to do the work, they will be fine – but in real life, they have fewer active feet-on-the-street than Winston Peters can muster.

      • RedLogix 2.1.1
        10 February 2011 at 4:36 pm

        Moreover there are likely quite a few so called ‘safe’ National electorates (and Wairarapa is one) that if the left put up a some serious high-profile, high energy candidates would probably surprise themselves at how well they might do.

      • Tiger Mountain 2.1.2
        11 February 2011 at 9:07 am

        Hope you are correct about Botany re membership of the Natz. It is people on the ground, old fashioned organisation, that aids the left ala Mt Albert and Super City. The tories need to rely on electorate demographics and “aspirational” voters in places like Botany. I can tell you that in Northland the tories have hordes of members and 10 or more nominees are currently seeking anointment as John Carter’s replacement.

        Talk about false consciousness, a piss poor rural electorate that keeps punishing its self by voting blue.

        At least Jamie Lee will not be able to continue his spoiler role at the Super City if he wins the seat.

    • Anne 2.2
      10 February 2011 at 9:58 pm

      During Pansy Wong’s tenure the membership was allowed to wither away and almost die. My memory may be wrong, but I think it was reported last year at around 100. Few of them will be willing to knock on doors and deliver pamphlets so he’ll have to do it himself… oh, da poor wee fella.

  3. randal 3
    10 February 2011 at 1:33 pm

    if he doesnt have anything to say then he has no choice but to keep his trap shut.
    he just gunna do what he is told is all.
    oh and bank the money.

    • Blondie 3.1
      10 February 2011 at 2:16 pm

      Exactly right – he really is a puppet commandeered by Cameron Slater. Noone would vote for him – so why vote for his lapdog?

      Every time Jamie-Lee put the boot into Len Brown, it was on Slater’s say-so. I could be wrong; he might be capable of thinking for himself – but the strong impression I received was that he’d do and say as he was told.

      • Lanthanide 3.1.1
        10 February 2011 at 3:15 pm

        Why would anyone listen to a toad like Slater?

      • Mcnutty 3.1.2
        10 February 2011 at 3:19 pm

        You need to get over your beef with Slater. So he booted you off his blog because you are a bitter old bag, and no one wanted to read your dribble. Get over it.

        • prism 3.1.2.1
          10 February 2011 at 4:47 pm

          McNutty – Luv your stuff. Let’s have more icecream with McNutty topping. You’re good – you can’t get this sort of quality uncouthness just anywhere.

        • Blondie 3.1.2.2
          10 February 2011 at 6:20 pm

          McNutty, your pseudonym says it all. I’m neither bitter nor old, but I seriously got sick of the misogynists who post on that site. I don’t know if some of your lot haven’t been laid in ten years or what, but it’s seriously pathetic.

          For the record, my posts averaged double the readership of anything Whale wrote – so even if you didn’t want to read them, somebody did. Dreadfully sorry but you’ll have to be slightly more accurate in your criticisms if you want to actually hurt my feelings.

          • Mcnutty 3.1.2.2.1
            10 February 2011 at 6:53 pm

            Blondie – are you for real? I am glad that you found my comment knowledgeable enough about you to defend.

            Perhaps, you aren’t old – i mean old is a matter of perception, really though, and i am sure that in someone’s eyes – you are most definitely old. Your posts were bitter, and i will add twisted. If i was unfortunate enough to wake up next to you, or someone like you, i would have personally given new meaning to the term “dingo syndrome” and would not be typing this write now, because i would have no limbs. There is though, not a big enough air brush, in this world for you or your photos, for me to ever be at risk of that misfortune.

            So i stand by my previous comments in regards to you. You are bitter and old, and how you can comment, or pretend to know anything about Jamie Lee Ross through second and even third hand association just because you got the boot off the WO oil blog really is ridiculous.

            Stick to what you know Blondie – recipes, and moaning about every single man that has dumped you in the last 15 years.

            [lprent: seriously boring. Also off topic. Move it to OpenMike where we tolerate these interminable discussions about bugger all ]

            • Blondie 3.1.2.2.1.1
              10 February 2011 at 9:09 pm

              [Deleted – please don’t speculate about people’s identities — r0b], I take it. Your writing style is unmistakable. Although I’m somewhat surprised that you wrote “write” instead of “right” – I’d expect slightly more from you.

              “You are bitter and old, and how you can comment, or pretend to know anything about Jamie Lee Ross through second and even third hand association just because you got the boot off the WO oil blog really is ridiculous.”

              All I know is this: on numerous occasions, I witnessed Cameron with my own eyes and ears, telling Jamie Lee to do this or that – and then the next week it’d be reported that he’d done exactly as Cameron Slater instructed him. Usually in relation to asking Len Brown a tricky question. And then the Whaleoil site would say how wonderful he was for calling Len to account – and then it’d get picked up by the MSM.

              Furthermore, Cameron himself told me how involved he was in Jamie Lee’s campaign. Having witnessed that FIRST HAND, it’s not rocket science to work out who’s pulling Jamie Lee’s strings.

  4. Scott 4
    10 February 2011 at 2:04 pm

    Ross’s strategy of not engaging in debate is tactically sound.

    He will realise it’s better to keep silent and be thought a fool than to open his mouth and remove any doubt.

  5. Irascible 5
    10 February 2011 at 2:11 pm

    The problem with Jamie-Lee Ross is that, like his fellow NACToids, he is contaminated by the virus- arrogance- born of an assumption that they have a right to rort the taxpayer and will, therefore, not ever have to face up to any criticism or hard debate in a public forum.
    The belief that Botany is a “safe NACToid seat” has been trumpeted ever since Pansy, as an intellectual light-weight with the same campaigning style as adopted by Jamie-lee, was caught with her hands in the till.
    Botany should not be assumed as safe as it has only gone through one electoral cycle- no seat is ever “safe” unless it has returned the same political party to parliament for at least three electoral cycles with increasing majorities.
    It beggars my mind that the assumption that the public would vote for a candidate whose local body campaigning was done on the lowest level – no policies but plenty of innuendo directed at Len Brown,most of it without substance.
    Botany deserves more and better and that would be Michael Wood.

    • George.com 5.1
      10 February 2011 at 9:02 pm

      My experience of young nats & young ACTs over the years is that when a group of them assemble for a political meeting their natural boorish nature quickly comes to the fore. Indeed better for that ilk to actually keep their mouths shut. Not sure is Jamie-Lee Ross fits that mold, but why chance it.

  6. randal 6
    10 February 2011 at 2:40 pm

    so it looks like he has swallowed too many of slaters dumbells and hey…they worked!

  7. Whaleoil 7
    10 February 2011 at 2:56 pm

    You might like to check your facts.

    JLR did not run from any show put up by Triangle TV.

    David Beatson offered a choice, a one on one or a head to head. It was choice.

    JLR was due to film a Citizen A episode with the Labour candidate but the show was pulled for some reason, apparently related to the Beatson interview. I know Bomber was planning and keen on the show so the decision must have been made by Stratos/Triangle.

    There is no reason to be delivered by JLR because he was ready, willing and able to front. You have your facts wrong.

  8. Rex Widerstrom 8
    10 February 2011 at 3:06 pm

    maybe he’s worried his beliefs and plans won’t stand up to scrutiny

    I don’t see why. The plan: “get my nose in the trough and remain hanging on for dear life till the next rung on the ladder is offered” is working perfectly well for Jami Lee just as it did for Kris Fa’afoi, albeit that Jami Lee had to actually convince some real people to offer him the rung rather than simply being annointed.

    “Beliefs and plans”? Since when were they a prequisite for political office in NZ? The PM has none. The Leader of the Opposition has none. The Minister of Finance sure as hell has none (other than to continue their own enrichment of course).

    • The Voice of Reason 8.1
      10 February 2011 at 3:25 pm

      Your full of it, Rex. Both Ross and Faafoi went through a selection process to get the nod. Faafoi was run close by the excellent Josie Pagani, but the result was Ok both constitutionally and democratically. It’s a bit rich for a former NZ First yes man to suddenly worry about the inner workers of either Labour or National, don’tcha think?

      • Rex Widerstrom 8.1.1
        10 February 2011 at 10:26 pm

        What, because I was once naive in assuming that parties selected on merit and that if they didn’t, there was some recourse through electoral or common law to call them to account, but found there wasn’t and they can be as corrupt as they like?

        I’m ashamed to admit I carried out Winston’s wishes in foisting Deborah Morris on an electorate committee (can’t recall which – somewhere in Wellington) who’d never heard of her and didn’t really want her. I just had to say “Winston is very impressed by…” over the scones to the other delegates and bingo, a newly minted List MP and Minister. I did it because I knew she’d never win an electorate so in the greater scheme of things it didn’t matter… it was just that Winston wanted no “list only” candidates.

        I ain’t proud of it. And I’m not about to accept “move on, nothing to see here” assurances from party hacks when a lacklustre office boy magically beats a standout candidate like Josie Pagani (on that, at least, we agree). Because it doesn’t have to be about vote fraud or something, it just needs a nod and a smile over the teacups.

        • Tiger Mountain 8.1.1.1
          11 February 2011 at 9:25 am

          Whats that old Morrisey song line….“why do you come here…” Rex presents as the proverbial kid with the nose pressed against the shop window glass. Like Trev Louden, yearning for admission to a club that won’t have him.

          Politics for many of us involves actually making a positive contribution, endless ruminations don’t cut it.

          • Rex Widerstrom 8.1.1.1.1
            11 February 2011 at 9:01 pm

            I come here, Tiger Mountain, because I give a shit about NZ. Nothing more nor less. If I was “yearning” for a place at the trough alongside those you defend I’d be somewhat better positioned if my nose and the glass weren’t on different continents.

            I’d love to be in a Parliament, yes. But not one that exists anywhere on Earth at this point in history, alas. And certainly not in this Parliament, where one of the few people to actually bring about a significant pro-active change in a major portfolio was a RWNJ who contrived to lock people up for longer.

            When and if NZ wakes up and starts voting for third parties and independents in large enough numbers that they can effect change, then I’ll look on in envy… and might even have another go at being a part of it.

            Clearly you and I have vastly different definitions of “positive contribution”, Tiger. You see admirable loyalty, I see desperate hackery. But by all means keep fighting the good fight, and leave the ruminations to those of us who can see past the hype.

        • Oscar 8.1.1.2
          11 February 2011 at 3:08 pm

          Faafoi was selected because the union managed to pack out the hall and bus in all their people from the electorate.

          Take out the unions, and pagani would have been the clear winner.

          Just another reason why the unions should only have one voice – on the selection panel.

          • The Voice of Reason 8.1.1.2.1
            11 February 2011 at 3:42 pm

            Take out the unions and Labour wouldn’t win a seat, Oscar!

            If you think the selection process is flawed, get active in your branch or LEC, attend the regional conferences and argue to get the process changed. Its a very open, democratic organisation, which welcomes debate.

            Josie Pagani, by the way, is standing for Labour in the Rangitikei electorate and I’m sure she’s gonna do a great job of keeping Simon Power busy during the election campaign and I would hope she gets a decent spot on the list as well. She’d be a great MP whichever way she got in.

  9. Tigger 9
    10 February 2011 at 3:15 pm

    You could write a similar post about almost every single Minister in government at the moment. Where the fuck are they? What are they doing? Well apart from Blinglish and the Prime Mincer of course…

    • Rharn 9.1
      10 February 2011 at 7:29 pm

      Might have something to do why Bob Parker has not been seen unless in the PRESS photo ops. Could he be the Nats new media advisor? “Stay out of sight unless you control the media.” Yep sure worked for Bob during the mayorality campaign.

  10. G8 10
    11 February 2011 at 2:39 pm

    Jamie is the BIGGEST double dipper we have seen in Auckland in recent times. He should not receive a cent of rate payer funds while campaigning. On winning he will force the cost of another bye-election for Council. Obviously Jamie is for Jamie because an MP’s role pays more thus he has walked away from his local commitment of 3-years on Council. What more could we expect from the trougher that has never had a real job in his life…

  11. Penny Bright 11
    11 February 2011 at 11:07 pm

    Would young National hack Jami-Lee Ross have asked his boss Prime Minister John Key THIS question?

    ‘Is Prime Minister John Key personally profiting from NZ’s growing indebtedness?’

    (John Key has shares in the Bank of America).

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXwNoaOpDMw

    Have you ever seen John Key look so shonky?

    That’s why I want to become the new MP for Botany – so I can ask the HARD questions that no one else is – from INSIDE the House.

    Respectfully suggest that Labour voters consider exercising their vote in a considered and strategic way………

    Penny Bright
    Independent candidate Botany by-election

    http://waterpressure.wordpress.com

  12. Irascible 12
    14 February 2011 at 2:00 am

    I see the training that you received at Kuranui College hasn’t left you.
    Jammy-lee has all the true attributes of a NACT candidate and hopeful MP, ignorance, arrogance and an over-weaning sense of entitlement that is supported by an unquestioning group of media hacks. The campaign being fought in Botany by Michael Wood deserves all the support that can be given.
    Putting Jammy-lee under intense scrutiny whenever there’s a public platform will expose him for what he is.

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