Key crosses a bridge too far

Written By: - Date published: 8:00 am, March 12th, 2015 - 127 comments
Categories: john key, national - Tags: , ,

Osborne Sabin

From the I shit you not file …

The reason that National has announced a decaboondoggle of double land bridges for the far North now during a difficult by election campaign and not during the last general election campaign is because of Nicky Hager and Kim Dotcom.

Yep.

I will allow a bit of space for you to process this claim.

You may need this space too.

And this.

And probably this.

And much more besides but I should finish the post.

Let me repeat this, according to John Key the reason that National did not offer ten new double laned bridges in the Northland electorate during the last election campaign was because of Hager and Dotcom.

Key is burning up his political capital so fast that by the end of March I expect to see ash where once was a fully functioning Crosby Textor clone.

The video to this link looks awful.  I suspect that Key should have slept in for a couple of more hours.  Or taken the day off.

According to Key National could not announce these double lane bridge projects during the last election campaign “because [the people] were talking about Nicky Hager and Kim Dotcom and I would have loved to have talked about policy in Northland but sadly that did not dominate the news agenda.”

And according to Key “in the end if you vote for Winston Peters you get another MP in um North in ar you get another MP in Southland interestingly enough.”

Key thinks that the handling of the Mike Sabin issue has had not the slightest effect in the electorate.  Apparently no one raises that issue and despite this in the fullness of time the story will be told, “but it can’t at the moment and that is the way it is”.  Northland please note.  If the Sabin issue is having the slightest of effects on you then you should not vote National.

Key and National are looking sick.

127 comments on “Key crosses a bridge too far ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. CnrJoe 1
    12 March 2015 at 8:22 am

    Karl Rove would approve. Key says things, they don’t stack up. Energy and time and facts are munched on and meanwhile he’s re-set and moved on.
    I’m less infuriated if I see this system as deliberate and designed to make me wanna bang my head on my desk so hard I get the brain damage.

    • jackp 1.1
      16 March 2015 at 7:29 pm

      Wow, I haven’t seen that name in a long time, Karl Rove. Last I heard he was a correspondent for Fox News. Karl Rove is Crosby/Textor’s Guru..So hence he indirectly, or directly, has an influence on our Prime Minister… scary.

  2. marty mars 2
    12 March 2015 at 8:23 am

    “This is usually achieved by the snake rubbing its head against a hard object, such as a rock (or between two rocks) or piece of wood, causing the already stretched skin to split. At this point, the snake continues to rub its skin on objects, causing the end nearest the head to peel back on itself, until the snake is able to crawl out of its skin, effectively turning the moulted skin inside-out.”

    We call the hard object winnie

  3. Marksman33 3
    12 March 2015 at 8:25 am

    It never ceases to amaze me, the absolute shit that comes out of this mans mouth. I’ve heard a bit more about the Sabin fiasco, not pretty, not pretty at all.
    Although, Rimmer is coming to the rescue for Osborne, thank god for the mighty 200 eh.

  4. Weepus beard 4
    12 March 2015 at 8:28 am

    What on earth is Steven Joyce doing to that billboard?

  5. Adrian 5
    12 March 2015 at 8:32 am

    After 65 years of dealing with arseholes ( but a lot more really nice people and good bastards ) I’ve ascertained that the very worst arseholes are the ones who blame somebody else for whatever it is that they are responsible for themselves.
    They are also, unsurprisingly, the biggest liars.

  6. tracey 6
    12 March 2015 at 8:38 am

    “Because [the people] were talking about Nicky Hager and Kim Dotcom…”

    But so many national supporters came on here and said it was beltway only and ordinary kiwis didnt care…

  7. Clemgeopin 7
    12 March 2015 at 9:14 am

    The novice Nat candidate in the picture looks so much like Novopay Joyce, like father and son or at least brothers. Uncanny foreheads. Also paunches!

    • toad 7.1
      12 March 2015 at 9:20 am

      The candidate Osbourne looks so much like Boss Hogg from Dukes of Hazzard to me, and the bridges bribe is exactly the sort of dodgy scheme Boss Hogg would have come up with,

      • ghostwhowalksnz 7.1.1
        12 March 2015 at 1:19 pm

        Hes not really a local.
        Was bought up in Hawkes bay, Spent about 8 years in UK on OE.

        A council bureaucrat in the worst council in NZ !

        Of course when they lose it will be all HIS fault, and Key will runaway saying it had nothing to do with HIM

        • Murray Rawshark 7.1.1.1
          12 March 2015 at 9:32 pm

          That might explain why the Northland Advocate ran a piece by some idiot from Hawkes Bay who couldn’t say anything good about either Osborne or Winnie. He did manage to say a lot of bad things about Winnie, though.

      • Rodel 7.1.2
        12 March 2015 at 9:02 pm

        No he looks more like Benny Hill.

  8. ianmac 8
    12 March 2015 at 9:22 am

    That TV3 video has me curious. Had Key just come from the dentist with an oral anesthetic still curling his mouth?

  9. tracey 9
    12 March 2015 at 9:25 am

    It’s like Mike Sabin never existed…

    have those who voted for him also forgotten him so easily?

      • One Anonymous Bloke 9.1.1
        12 March 2015 at 5:55 pm

        I doubt anyone has forgotten, and what else is there to say? By the time (as MH says) we can talk about it, what will be left to say?

        How about a national conversation about following the leader?

      • Skinny 9.1.2
        12 March 2015 at 6:24 pm

        No need to panic Hooton the recent polls shows the voters of Northland know the scurrilous happening prior to the general election.

        Things must be desperate I hear Key has arranged an audience with the Brethren sect. Apparently they have had a bridge closed early this week at their Northland schooling camp, due to saftey reasons. How fortuitous for them, ticking up another bridge replacement should not be a problem.

        You heard it first here coobah.

        • Once was Tim 9.1.2.1
          12 March 2015 at 6:29 pm

          Oh fuck Matty – I mispelt your name on another thread. I DO apologise! Open Mike I think. It’s not worth a hissy fit on From the right and From the Right though even though the regular gal would probably give you the tunety. Mike might even ‘tend to agree with you’. Btw. I’ve been taking learnings from you on how to be a bitch when I bother to catch the programme lately (and that’s usually only when Lynne is filling in

      • tracey 9.1.3
        13 March 2015 at 6:42 am

        I hope so Matthew but it will be post by-election when the alarm goes off, won’t it?

  10. weka 10
    12 March 2015 at 9:27 am

    Unverified from twitter, but apparently one of the bridges is flanked by two native trees. Photo,

    https://twitter.com/annabf/status/575571273650159616

    • Clemgeopin 10.1
      12 March 2015 at 9:46 am

      Key is scheduled to visit Northland two or three more times.
      I hope because of the bridges backlash Key will not get another sudden brainwave and announce some kind of ‘unbribes’ : “If Winston wins, we will change all two lane bridges in Whangarei and Auckland as one lane bridges”!

    • veutoviper 10.2
      12 March 2015 at 9:47 am

      Those two kauri are apparently named Darby and Jones!

      This Campbell Live report last night on whether the bridges are needed (which includes a segment on this bridge and the two kauri) is well worth watching.

      http://www.3news.co.nz/tvshows/campbelllive/bridge-bribe-money-well-spent-2015031120?ref=video

      Interviews with locals in Northland seem to suggest that they would much rather spend the money on other things – eg homes, jobs, education, poverty etc.

      • Murray Rawshark 10.2.1
        12 March 2015 at 9:46 pm

        They’re Darby and Joan and I don’t see any non-destructive way to put a two lane bridge in that location. I suspect that the Northland National committee thinks one way bridges are a big issue because they never like waiting for anyone. Having to wait brings them back to the same level as everyone else, and they really do think of themselves as special. Northlanders that I know don’t mind waiting now and then. A one lane bridge isn’t a problem like the bridges past Kawakawa, where you can have to wait a couple of days after a storm.

        TV3 also showed that trucks are a real problem and we should have railways.

    • ghostwhowalksnz 10.3
      12 March 2015 at 10:37 am

      Yep they are kauris.

      Here we go again

  11. tracey 11
    12 March 2015 at 9:28 am

    6 March 2015
    https://nz.news.yahoo.com/a/-/top-stories/26533933/stonewalling-over-mike-sabin-continues/
    ”
    Police are continuing to stonewall requests for details about what they told the Government about their investigation into former National MP Mike Sabin.

    Police National Headquarters have given a blanket refusal to an Official Information Act request asking if the Police Minister or the Prime Minister were ever briefed about the investigation.

    They’ve also refused to release any correspondence or documents pertaining to the matter.”

    • Draco T Bastard 11.1
      12 March 2015 at 10:05 am

      So, that would be the police acting to cover up National’s lies?

      • ghostwhowalksnz 11.1.1
        12 March 2015 at 10:36 am

        I remember years ago when John Banks was police minister, he later said that he asked not be be given any written briefings.

        Its an old politicians rule:

        Never write something down when you can talk about it, never say yes when you can nod.

        • tracey 11.1.1.1
          12 March 2015 at 11:35 am

          I remember Banks as Minister of Police.. publicly promising inquiries of all kinds including reports of SAS scaling Citibank during the allege “theft” of banking information… but once my client (Paul White) was found dead, there was no further need for an inquiry. Apparently, not needed anymore…

          • Anne 11.1.1.1.1
            12 March 2015 at 9:26 pm

            In thirty years time when many of us are dead and gone (?) a secret document will be released telling the truth about the Paul White affair.

  12. Skinny 12
    12 March 2015 at 9:40 am

    Mickey as someone who attended (gatecrashed) Sabin’s invite only Northland Regional Economic Forum held during last years general election. I can state with certainty that bridges were not mentioned by Key or Joyce in any upcoming plans by National. It was the Warkworth highway, charter schools, and the settlement of the treaty.

    Not even after a rebellious rural Tory stood up and questioned Key on the merits of the Holiday Highway when most roads in Northland were either broken or dusty goat tracks.

    Incidentally this guy got the 2 largest clap & cheer outside of Keys arrival introduction, I
    got an evil glare from Joyce as I sat there laughing uncontrollably at the rebellion by true blue Tories. Key, Joyce, Finlayson and Sabin stood there stunned by the crowds reaction, wish I had videoed it, such a classic moment.

    Edit: actually I will write a letter to the editor of the Advocate and point
    out not even after this rebellion did National react 🙂

    • Capn Insano 12.1
      12 March 2015 at 10:20 am

      I would love to have seen a video of that!

      • Skinny 12.1.1
        12 March 2015 at 12:12 pm

        It was the funniests thing I’ve seen at a political forum ever, usually these party members/supporters gigs are tightly managed and run to script. Having never been to a Tory forum the last thing I expected was their own bunch turning on them. For 2 minutes it was like they were addressing a room full of Lefties.

        On a serious note the Nat’s are in real danger of losing the by election, because they won Northland & Whangarei convincingly yet again and straight after the election are forgotten for another 3 years. Until now that is.

        • ghostwhowalksnz 12.1.1.1
          12 March 2015 at 1:36 pm

          The figures out recently for economic growth show a bit of upswing from last year due to the drought in 2013, overall since 2008 ( when national was elected) the North has fallen further behind the rest of the country.

          The holiday highway is entirely in the Auckland Super city so brings no construction jobs to the North – if it ever gets built.

        • alwyn 12.1.1.2
          12 March 2015 at 6:13 pm

          You are obviously not used to meetings where party members appear to be allowed to have their say.
          Are the ones at your parties meetings accosted by the heavy mob if the dare to say anything except “Oh leader you are wonderful”?
          Not being a member of a party I wouldn’t know either way but you seem to be claiming to know the way the left work.

          • Skinny 12.1.1.2.1
            12 March 2015 at 7:18 pm

            Alwyn at these events questions are usually submitted prior so common issues or concerns are raised, it also vets odd balls who waste time with their own axe to grind. The guy I referred to asking the question was a party man well respected, a very experienced road planner, which Sabin assumed would wax lyrical about the holiday highway. He didn’t, such was his convictions & condemnation, he spoke out to the contrary. The rest were blatantly patsy questions, the likes of what I’ve never experienced at any other political forums . The Tory crowd could see this and did not like being spun bullshit, hence their reaction to what he raised and what they were thinking.

  13. heather 13
    12 March 2015 at 9:45 am

    Key has almost lost his credibility completly, these claims have to go down in the file of unbelievable!
    The voters of Northland will not be taken in by this, surely… they must be able to see that they are being, once again taken for a ride, over a bridge, by Key.
    They will support Winston, he smells this and is going for it.

  14. Pasupial 14
    12 March 2015 at 9:51 am

    [2:58] We’ve got a great candidate in Mike Osbourne…

    MIKE Osbourne?

  15. Chch_chiquita 15
    12 March 2015 at 10:36 am

    But, didn’t Simon Bridges say in parliament that he was still discussing this with Northland in December and the decision was only made last week?

    “Hon SIMON BRIDGES : This has been a matter I have been discussing with Northland since early on as a Minister of Transport, going up there in December and talking about it. Late last week a decision was made on this.”

    Or am I missing something in my understanding here?

  16. North 16
    12 March 2015 at 10:42 am

    The thing I’m noticing most about Key of late is the nervous tick of the scrunched up face and near disappeared eyes at the commencement of the bullshit response, followed by some idiotic beaming and waving of the hands, and at the conclusion an audible smacking of the lips which then disappear altogether. A purported finality but ackshilly a weak appeal to move on – “No more, no more……please”. Visible discomfort.

    The TV3 video clip is interesting at around 2.12 when LostMyMojoKey characterises one-way bridges as so far down the priority table as not to make the cut for discussion in a general election campaign. Hang on……you just said no announcement was because those beasts Hager and KDC dominated the airwaves. Which is it fibby wee boy ?

    The more I watch Key the more I’m convinced that by their indulgences towards him, advised or unwitting doesn’t matter, the MSM gifted the last election to a self-centred wee rich boy prat.

    • Jones 16.1
      12 March 2015 at 11:18 am

      Gunslinger eyes… no soul. He knows his nemesis is somewhere on the horizon… I wonder if he’s calculating at which point he walks for his pride or stays on to take the knock down at the next election…. like a man.

    • Anne 16.2
      12 March 2015 at 11:18 am

      When Muldoon was lying (which was almost as frequently as Key) he would lift his eyes to the heavens as if begging God’s forgiveness. It became a popular game to count the number of times he did it – hence how many lies he told – during the course of an interview.

      Key’s trick is to screw his eyes up and look vaguely into the middle distance… rarely directly at the questioner/questioners – or the camera.

      • greywarshark 16.2.1
        12 March 2015 at 11:46 am

        @ Anne
        Ah-ha a new game for Standardistas – spot the lying code-face. We’ll be like beagles trained to the task of identifying the goods, tails wagging, ears pricked (beagles don’t I think, prick their ears but we’ll have to use all our peculiar resources.)

      • Chch_chiquita 16.2.2
        12 March 2015 at 11:50 am

        Ha! I thought it was only me watching the other day and thinking that when Key turns away from the camera is when the lies come out; I thought maybe he was facing his own cheer-leader group for support.

  17. mac1 17
    12 March 2015 at 10:48 am

    The ‘bridge too far’ reference is, of course, to ‘hubris’.

    Hubris in politics. Hubris that makes John Key act in a manner that can only end in disaster- for him and his historical legacy, for the country with his financial mismanagement and his dishonesty, and for many of our citizens.

    It is hubris that leads him into the kind of lying and perversion of ordinary language that surrounds his new version of his promise to resign if mass surveillance happened.

    It is hubris that allows him to say that what is obviously pork barrel politics and vote buying was actually a policy of the previous general election that the brouhaha of KDC and Nicky Hager kept out of the public eye.

    It is hubris that leads him into the war against ISIS. Key has certainly driven in the piles of his bridge too far.

    I found the following article about hubris in politics leading to foreign adventures over that bridge too far such as against the likes of ISIS, and recommend it.

    http://www.laprogressive.com/where-exceptionalism-leads/

  18. Old Mickey 18
    12 March 2015 at 11:54 am

    The last election had the least amount of policy and programme annoucnments that I can remember, even less than the previous election which was hijacked by teagate and asset sales. In 20 years time, the 2014 election will be known for the Hager/Dotcom/Hone/Internet fiasco, and little else other than National winning a third term wiith a bigger majority than the second term. If lucky, it mayeb seen as the election which was a catalyst for the change/split or end of the labour party movement and the formation of Union Labour Party & Rainbow Labour Party & Labour Workers Party.

    • tracey 18.1
      12 March 2015 at 12:00 pm

      do you understand that Greens and Labour together released over 50 different policies?

      • aerobubble 18.1.1
        12 March 2015 at 12:05 pm

        Do you understand that the last electionwas media driven distraction,media coup.

        • tracey 18.1.1.1
          12 March 2015 at 12:10 pm

          Yes, does Old Mickey?

          • mac1 18.1.1.1.1
            12 March 2015 at 12:20 pm

            Old Mickey is predicting the break up of the old Labour Party formed in 1916.

            I predict that the National party will further suffer a break up of its formation, after the ACT, Conservative, Maori, and United Future and other tinier spin-offs already happened.

            I predict a split along the lines of the old Reform/United lines with a country party and an urban liberal party. The old National Party is so far from being the party it formerly was, having some decency and respect for democratic values, for its members to tolerate this lot, in defeat.

          • Old Mickey 18.1.1.1.2
            12 March 2015 at 12:59 pm

            I DO, THAT IS EXACTLY MY POINT…..

            • tracey 18.1.1.1.2.1
              12 March 2015 at 1:09 pm

              your point began

              “The last election had the least amount of policy and programme annoucnments that I can remember”

              So, it is your memory that is at issue?

              • Old Mickey …
                12 March 2015 at 1:22 pm

                My answer to you was in answer to your answer to aerobubble

                “Do you understand that the last electionwas media driven distraction,media coup”

                WHich really is my point, and dare I say it John Keys – Due to the distraction/circus it is hard now to remember the policies.

                I would be surprised and impressed if you could rattle off the top of your head the 50 you recall that labour & gweens promoted during the campaign.

                WIll try and spell thing out more clearly for you in future 🙂

                • tracey …
                  12 March 2015 at 1:31 pm

                  you made it comparative, which suggested you could rattle off the top of your head policy announcements from previous elections. You then married that motion with Labour Party splitting. It would be marvellous if you could spell things out clearer in the future for this befuddled mind.

                • Crashcart …
                  12 March 2015 at 2:30 pm

                  Where that falls over is that yes if he had released them as policy they may not have got the coverage that he wanted but they would have still been out there and on the record after the election. National didn’t even try to release this policy.

        • freedom 18.1.1.2
          12 March 2015 at 12:30 pm

          aerobubble: Here are the websites for the main parties (in alphabetical order).
          You are actually free to investigate their policies without asking MSM permission.

          http://act.org.nz/
          https://www.greens.org.nz/
          http://campaign.labour.org.nz/
          http://mana.net.nz/ not currently in Parliament
          http://maoriparty.org/
          https://www.national.org.nz/
          http://nzfirst.org.nz/
          http://www.unitedfuture.org.nz/

          and if you want to look at other Parties who are outside of Parliament,
          here is a handy reference for you
          http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_political_parties_in_New_Zealand#Registered_parties_outside_of_Parliament

          • Atiawa 18.1.1.2.1
            12 March 2015 at 4:12 pm

            Had a quick look at NZ First’s “Labour & Employment” policies. Not once were unions mentioned nor was there any strengthening of collective bargaining rights.
            The party is Tory light.
            Those that continue to support Winston or the Labour candidate withdrawing can go to buggery.

            • Draco T Bastard 18.1.1.2.1.1
              13 March 2015 at 10:08 am

              NZ1st is very much the National Party of Rob Muldoon or earlier. Yes, it’s Tory but it also has a social conscience unlike the present National party and it also, IMO, stands for developing our economy rather than just growing more cows.

      • Old Mickey 18.1.2
        12 March 2015 at 12:58 pm

        Missed pretty much all of them given the circus surrounding dotcom, hager, harre,hone, and corkery….and so did 50% of the public who voted.

        • freedom 18.1.2.1
          12 March 2015 at 1:14 pm

          Ignoring your made up %, it is always dissapointing when people admit they could not be bothered to visit the sites themselves to read the policies and rely instead on the filtered message delivered by the MSM. You cannot blame the media, or the nation as a whole, for your own laziness.

          • Old Mickey 18.1.2.1.1
            12 March 2015 at 1:26 pm

            Nats 47.04
            Maori 1.32
            ACT .69
            United .22
            Conservatives 3.97

            Total 53.24

            http://www.electionresults.govt.nz/electionresults_2014/partystatus.html

            • freedom 18.1.2.1.1.1
              12 March 2015 at 2:07 pm

              Old Mickey, thanks for the info I never asked for, maybe you posted in the wrong place? My mention of a % was to your 50% of the public comment

              I was addressing your comment on policy. I have little interest in your attempts to talk up the extremely precarious balance of power in our Parliament

              • Old Mickey …
                13 March 2015 at 12:26 pm

                re read my comment
                :.and so did 50% of the public who voted”

                • freedom …
                  13 March 2015 at 12:35 pm

                  All your comment shows is you admitting that you did not seek out the policy releases. You have no way of knowing what 50% of voters did and did not know about policies prior to voting.

    • Murray Rawshark 18.2
      12 March 2015 at 10:06 pm

      Nah, you’ve got it totally wrong. 2014 will go down in history as the election in which NAct knowingly stood Mike Sabin in Northland. It will be noted as the beginning of the end for FJK.

  19. Robert Glennie 19
    12 March 2015 at 12:38 pm

    The bridges promoted by Bridges are a bridge – or ten – too far. National is indeed creating jobs by building the bridges, but only its mates will see the benefits.

  20. Sable 20
    12 March 2015 at 12:49 pm

    Keys is like a magician. Any kind of public distraction while he tries to pull rabbits out of hats or in this case bridges out of his…..(feel free to add your own conclusion).

  21. fisiani 21
    12 March 2015 at 12:52 pm

    With the shonky electoral deal for Labour voters to abandon the Labour candidate and vote for Winston Peters reeking of hypocrisy it is great to see the huge effort by the National Team to impress the value of keeping Northland true and Blue.

    • Kevin 21.1
      12 March 2015 at 1:16 pm

      Is that it?

      Suffer in yer jocks, fisi.

    • thatguynz 21.2
      12 March 2015 at 2:10 pm

      **cough cough** Epsom **cough cough** Ohariu **cough cough**

      Enough said?

      • fisiani 21.2.1
        12 March 2015 at 2:25 pm

        *cough cough* hypocrisy….
        Nuff said

        • Crashcart 21.2.1.1
          12 March 2015 at 2:35 pm

          It would be hypocrisy to get back in to power and then not change the rules. it would be stupid to not work to the rules to try and get into a position where you can change them.
          Putting aside the obvious that this is also a different situation. As Little pointed out Labour were not going to win Northland. Haven’t done so in 75 years is it? However National could easily win Epsom if it chose too. NZ first are a party in government off their own back and will owe nothing to Labour after the by election. ACT and UF woudl not exist without the deals and end up being National sock puppets.
          Of course you know all this and really I just got trolled.

        • Draco T Bastard 21.2.1.2
          12 March 2015 at 2:38 pm

          What hypocrisy? There’s no deal between Labour and NZ1st and, unlike National, Labour aren’t telling their supporters to vote for the other party.

          • Anne 21.2.1.2.1
            12 March 2015 at 9:33 pm

            …there’s no deal between Labour and NZ1st…

            Yes, and I heard that from the horses mouth just a few hours ago – Andrew Little in the flesh.

            There… is… no… deal… and… never… has… been.

        • thatguynz 21.2.1.3
          12 March 2015 at 3:40 pm

          Not exactly – see as has been explained to you before Labour could never win Northland. On the other hand National could win Epsom and Ohariu. You do understand the difference right?

        • Tiger Mountain 21.2.1.4
          12 March 2015 at 3:41 pm

          …more anal leakage than a Xenical user

          the point about using the MMP rules is that until they are changed all registered political parties and voters are free to do so, the left has been slower than the Nats to use this

        • North 21.2.1.5
          12 March 2015 at 11:50 pm

          Jeez you’re so shit scared Fizzy Anus. Remember – the sky will not fall in the sky will not fall the sky will not fall in – if Winston gets elected. Your child emperor with no clothes is on his way out whatever happens mate. He’s completely losing his grip and the media’s tired of him. He’s like Nixon sitting in the Rose Garden spinning yarns to the bees and the birds.

    • upnorth 21.3
      12 March 2015 at 2:42 pm

      Fisi, as a northlander, I’d love to hear what value Northland has received for being blue for the last god knows how many decades. Please post links to Nationals achievements that have made life better and added value for Northlanders.

      • Murray Rawshark 21.3.1
        12 March 2015 at 10:20 pm

        Foreign money has been invested in Helena Bay, heaps of development has taken place out past Kerikeri where previously only stupid kiwi roamed, the Opua basin has been polluted by toxic paint from the ACT voting Jafas who berth their yachts there, Kaitaia no longer has to put up with noise pollution from commercial aircraft, unproductive wetlands have been drained to get at swamp Kauri and make Oravida more wealthy,…..I’m sure there must be more. Northland has been blessed by a succession of National MPs. Such saintly men that the last one could have been a Catholic priest.

        • Marksman33 21.3.1.1
          13 March 2015 at 6:21 am

          Spot on Murray.

        • Sans Cle 21.3.1.2
          13 March 2015 at 7:51 am

          Stockpiling the swamp kauri by Judith Collin’s husband’s company (for export) makes me sick. I heard a bit about it on the radio, prior to the election…..and wonder why people are not outraged by it?

    • Clemgeopin 21.4
      12 March 2015 at 5:58 pm

      @fisiani:

      Sure.

      I am particularly impressed with these three efforts. See [1], [2] and [3] at comment #8

  22. freedom 22
    12 March 2015 at 1:10 pm

    A small but vital detail in the bridge policy which some might have overlooked in all the associated discussion is yesterday’s clear and incontrovertible answer to the very important question of what happens to the promised funding if National loses the by-election

    http://www.parliament.nz/en-nz/pb/debates/debates/51HansD_20150310_00000008/oral-questions-%E2%80%94-questions-to-ministers

    Q7 : supplementary:
    Phil Twyford : Will the Government build the 10 bridges if National loses the by-election?

    Hon SIMON BRIDGES : Yes, because we are deeply committed to Northland.

    • tracey 22.1
      12 March 2015 at 1:21 pm

      Joyce said that too… but no one said by when

    • mary_a 22.2
      12 March 2015 at 1:24 pm

      When Natsy loses the election and it will, Simon Bridges if reminded of that statement, will undoubtedly come out and say in true Natsy form, that’s not what he meant!

    • Skinny 22.3
      12 March 2015 at 1:32 pm

      National better tell rural Northland supporters to vote early with this monster storm about to hit Northland. Just like last winter, but probably much much worst. All those voters cut off from the voting booths. Nah most will turn on them after being forgotten, left with broken roads and isolated. Stay home farmers and tend to your stock.

      Don’t worry help is on its way. Peters will form a flood relief network to help the clean up.

  23. Joanne 23
    12 March 2015 at 1:50 pm

    That photo is a classic – in the original Herald article the pig in the right of the photo has got the right idea (as in The Famous Pig Song) ‘You can tell a man who boozes by the company he chooses, and the pig got up and slowly walked away.’
    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=11415670

  24. coaster 24
    12 March 2015 at 3:40 pm

    if nat loose northland and for some reason there was a bye election on the west coast, would we have our roads fixed, the hordes of one lane bridges replaced or solid energy fixed to create jobs??????.

  25. Kevin 25
    12 March 2015 at 4:08 pm

    This whole “Winston for Northland” campaign reminds me of when Tim Shadbolt drove to Invercargill to contest the mayoralty.

    And we know how that turned out.

  26. The Pink Postman 26
    12 March 2015 at 4:25 pm

    Well this PM lies even in Parliament and the worst Mr Speaker we have ever had lets it all go unanswered, Its time something was done to get rid of this awfull Speaker .

    • Ffloyd 26.1
      14 March 2015 at 7:59 pm

      Absolutely agree. It is time the smirking sycophant was cartered off! He is as useless as an udder on a bull.

  27. Saarbo 27
    12 March 2015 at 6:02 pm

    So in the TV3 clip John Key boasts that “National spent 40% more than Labour when they were in office”…how do we reconcile this quote with Nat/Keys claims that they are “responsible fiscal managers of our economy”. So Nat/Key spent 40% more on roads in Northland at the same time as racking up $80 billion in debt.

  28. ScottGN 28
    12 March 2015 at 6:52 pm

    Tova O’Brien on TV3 had Key looking rather uncomfortable when she pointed out the broadband bribe was nothing more than a reheat from the General Election and also got him to admit that like the bridges it was happening anyway regardless of which candidate Northland voted for.
    Winston’s clearly having the time of his life and was laughing like a drain when interviewed on ACT’s offer to gift its 162 votes to National.

  29. Bryan 29
    12 March 2015 at 7:19 pm

    I believe that Key is about announce Winston Peters International Airport is to be built in Kaitaia and that Air New Zealand will be flying in plane loads of election bribes

  30. Scottie 30
    12 March 2015 at 9:10 pm

    Stop banging on about Key, most people are sick of it. Talk about what labour will do. Why should people vote for labour?

  31. Incognito 31
    12 March 2015 at 11:17 pm

    It is not a given that Ria Bond, who’s the next on the NZ First candidate list, will become an MP if WP wins the by-election in Northland.

  32. aerobubble 32
    15 March 2015 at 3:17 pm

    Its a bueaty contest. Labour sees it that way. Far to precious to hold onto the high ground and drop to the NAT act level Each bleeding election NAT give ACT the nod, and Labour are just to far up their own colkective that they wont tell their voters to split, give their vote to a different party. Now sure Peters aint lefty gold, but this aint no lefty electorate. Its just dipsi that Little is not piling in.

  33. jaymam 33
    30 March 2015 at 12:30 pm

    Why is Mike Sabin helping to put up billboards for Mike Osborne?

    • Kiwiri - Raided of the Last Shark 33.1
      30 March 2015 at 12:32 pm

      umm .. are you serious? look more closely?

      • jaymam 33.1.1
        31 March 2015 at 8:46 pm

        So is the picture a fake then? Why would The Standard show a Photoshopped picture? Where did they get it from?

        • McFlock 33.1.1.1
          31 March 2015 at 9:03 pm

          it’s an obvious fake.

          Satire.

          To spell it out, it illustrates the other chap who was always with Osbourne and the nats on the campaign trail. If not in person, definitely in spirit.

          • jaymam 33.1.1.1.1
            1 April 2015 at 7:05 pm

            Well if it’s seen as an obvious fake then I suppose congratulations are in order for the posters in here. In other places I have posted this picture it starts a huge discussion about why National would have Sabin there. Well done!
            I assume you noticed the name Mike on the billboard? Yes of course you did.

            • McFlock 33.1.1.1.1.1
              2 April 2015 at 12:22 pm

              So the billboard in the name “Mike Osborne” is viewed as authentic nat advertising? People, huh.

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