King, wtf?

52 comments on “King, wtf? ”

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1. hush minx 1

   4 February 2013 at 3:06 pm

   You know that the old guard attack first, ask questions later. Mind you, perhaps the newly confirmed leader will actually demand a higher standard from his mps in this newly unified world…
   • Tom Gould 1.1

     5 February 2013 at 9:04 am

     Twelve months into the Clark leadership, they would have named Lange as leader. This is simply another constructed flick at Shearer. Keep it up, team C.
     • One Tāne Huna 1.1.1

       5 February 2013 at 9:24 am

       Excuse me? I seem to have missed the memo from the secret “team C” office. On the other hand, I can see how AK’s response to Garner falls over, despite also being able to see what she meant by it.

       Consider the possibility that constructive criticism is simply constructive criticism, rather than a sign that everyone is out to get you.
2. vto 2

   4 February 2013 at 3:53 pm

   It’s quite obvious that, like most people, they only bother themselves with information they consider useful and directly applicable to their lives. Why would anyone be surprised? Kind of indicates something doesn’t it… and it aint ignorance. In addition, the figure is probably exactly the same no matter the race.
3. Annette King 3

   4 February 2013 at 3:54 pm

   I implied nothing of the sort. The dig was at the PM not Maori nor ‘deflecting’ from the Labour leader. Lets fight the real opposition and for a change of government instead of jumping to wrong conclusions about other people’s motives!!
   • James Thrace 3.1

     4 February 2013 at 4:01 pm

     Come on Annette. Its about perceptions. You of all people should be aware of that. Its no good making excuses after the horse has bolted. I read your tweet as being dismissive of tangata whenua.
     • mike 3.1.1

       4 February 2013 at 5:21 pm

       well whoopdedo James – who gives a tweet about what you think
   • Pete 3.2

     4 February 2013 at 4:16 pm

     I’m prepared to cut Annette some slack on this. Twitter encourages brevity. But I’m not sure this poll can be spun that way. Take it on the chin as an indicator of the work that has to be done before 2014.
     • Pascal's bookie 3.2.1

       4 February 2013 at 4:24 pm

       “Twitter encourages brevity.”

       It requires brevity, and that’s why you have to bloody careful with it.

       Handguns often have sensitive triggers, but that’s no reason to cut someone slack for shooting themselves in the foot. ‘I didn’t mean to shoot it , god, as if I’d want to blow a whole in my foot! I just jerked it out of my holster with the safety off.’
   • Lanthanide 3.3

     4 February 2013 at 4:17 pm

     I interpreted it the same way as Zet did, Annette.
   • tc 3.4

     4 February 2013 at 4:25 pm

     Your response shows you as out of touch and combined with a the lack of judgement you and the inner circle have displayed for years now.

     ‘Lets fight the real opposition ‘ please link to your press releases/media pieces on housing and local gov’t….it’s not like there’s no material from the ‘real opposition’ there to work with annette.

     And if you want to fight the real opposition why are you bothering to engage with garner ? Time better spent elsewhere methinks.
   • One Tāne Huna 3.5

     4 February 2013 at 4:28 pm

     Annette, it wasn’t that long ago that one of the most effective communicators in caucus had his political career destroyed because he repeatedly refused to say how he was going to vote today.

     Surely you are not going to hide behind the “I didn’t mean it that way” defence, are you?
   • James 3.6

     4 February 2013 at 4:31 pm

     Its a pretty useless dig isnt it? 63% of your own Maori voters dont know your own leader, yeah – lets dig the PM with that.

     You know he’s laughing at you right? Thats the best you’ve got?
   • The Gormless Fool formerly known as Oleolebiscuitbarrell 3.7

     4 February 2013 at 4:35 pm

     Lets fight the real opposition and for a change of government instead of jumping to wrong conclusions about other people’s motives!!

     You new around here, Annette?
   • Huginn 3.8

     4 February 2013 at 5:28 pm

     Ha ha ha! Glad you made that clear, Annette. Twitter can be challenging like that.
   • David H 3.9

     4 February 2013 at 8:23 pm

     Come on Annette it’s way past time when you and the other dinosaurs should resign and let the newer guys have a go.! Because you lot have been bloody awful for the last 4 years, NO WOEFUL is a better description. And it’s not going to get any better as you are all deaf to what the NACTS are doing to our country. And don’t come that old chestnut that something is coming the only thing coming is a defeat, as even more voters say, why bother the old guys don’t listen. As my two eligible to vote teens, told me when I asked if they would vote Labour, like I have all my life, until 2014. hey won’t even bother to enrol. Well done on that score. 2 more voters alienated.
   • felixviper 3.10

     4 February 2013 at 8:30 pm

     “Lets fight the real opposition “

     I really think it would be more helpful if you stopped doing that and fought the government instead.
     • rolling in clover 3.10.1

       4 February 2013 at 8:34 pm

       +1
4. BM 4

   4 February 2013 at 4:12 pm

   Maori party =National, so a good result for the blue team.
5. IrishBill 5

   4 February 2013 at 4:17 pm

   Putting aside the matter of Zet’s post, It’s good to see you here, Annette. It’d be even better to know it was part of a wider move to build bridges.
   • One Tāne Huna 5.1

     4 February 2013 at 4:30 pm

     +1
   • emergency mike 5.2

     4 February 2013 at 4:55 pm

     Looks like a weak attempt at a deflection comeback to me. But the more I look at it the less I feel it has to be interpreted in the negative way that Zet is implying. Which makes me wonder why Zet would want to. Me wonders.

     Good to see you come here to defend yourself Annette, I hope to see you post here more often.
   • Rhinocrates 5.3

     4 February 2013 at 8:09 pm

     Indeed, agree.

     Kudos to AK for showing up. Petulantly perhaps, but little steps first. It takes a lot for a politician who’s been in the loop (which is an intellectual and moral noose) too long to suddenly put themselves in a situation that isn’t either completely controlled, where the plebs are kept at arms length, or where the exchange can’t be cut short when the minders decide it’s not just another baby-kissing.

     Now let’s see Shearer enter the room with the darkened curtains, or climb up on that roof…
6. rod 6

   4 February 2013 at 5:04 pm

   Let’s ask Maori voters if they know who Duncan Garner is. That could be interesting.
7. Annette king 7

   4 February 2013 at 5:05 pm

   Thanks Irish. I’m enjoying the exchanges! As for this posting agree brevity on Twitter can get you in the poo but my thoughts were on the PM who has used Maori shamelessly to get his profile up. Aroha from McGeahan Close ’08 comes to mind. I hope more colleagues engage on the Standard, a must read for me. Constructive comment and exchange of ideas would be of two way benefit.
   • Zetetic 7.1

     4 February 2013 at 5:11 pm

     Yeah, respect for replying.

     I know you weren’t trying to say anything against Maori – but that’s the way it has to be read – ‘so they don’t know who Shearer is, do they know who Key is?’ – puts problem at the Maori voters’ feet.

     Just got to be careful with these twitter exchanges
   • Tim 7.2

     4 February 2013 at 5:16 pm

     “Thanks Irish. I’m enjoying the exchanges! ‘
     Thank frikken Christ. ABOUT TIME! Please tell the Boss to get engaged as well
     • fenderviper 7.2.1

       4 February 2013 at 5:30 pm

       If you don’t SHOUT or ridicule them MP’s may be more inclined to converse here, if thats what you indeed want.
       • Tim 7.2.1.1

         4 February 2013 at 6:53 pm

         Agree, I’ll use an underscore rather than capitlaisation in future for emphasis.
         It is indeed a good sign that Annette has decided to engage. I hope its the shape of things to come, just as I do that the “party” enters and engages without a hidden agenda – whatever loyalties participants my feel towards their providers.
         For me…I hope the non-ABC club put the common ‘enemy’ first, and for the ABC club, I hope they’re magnanimous enough to recognise the contribution the likes of Cunliffe and others can make and have made and that they always recognise that they are representatives, because I saw some earlier shit where Norm Kirk was made – taken completely out of context in order to feed an ego and justify a position. He’d be rolling in his frikken grave – especially if he’d been around to see the events of the past few months.
         Anyway, I still won’t be voting Labour (after a lifetime) until there is clear evidence that anything bordering on the neo-lib/3rd Way/4th Reich bullshit is now out of favour.
   • VivaciousViper 7.3

     4 February 2013 at 5:36 pm

     Annette, good on you for engaging with us, as you can apprecitate many of us have
     strong, heartfelt opinions,derived from history and strong opinions of what is acceptable
     and what is not with regards to Labour Party policy etc.
     I also think the rubbishing that commenters and posters got by some of your colleagues
     and Shearer,ie (in darkened rooms,behind curtains etc) damaged the relationship markedly.
     I strongly believe though, Shearer is not the right leader for Labour, have we really just
     got to fall in behind until 2014 to prove we were right,after all.
   • Anne 7.4

     4 February 2013 at 7:11 pm

     Hi again Annette.

     I’ve met you a couple of times over the years and I don’t think you are anything like how… some here have painted you in recent times. I suspect most don’t actually know you or anything much about you.

     I’ve just watched another attempt by TV3’s Patrick Gower to try and paint David Cunliffe as the evil wrong-doer in the party. He claims Cunliffe won’t reveal which way he voted today. Cunliffe made it clear a week or more ago he supported Shearer and there would be no challenge

     This is precisely what happened in the week or two prior to the Nov. Conference. Cunliffe had made it clear he supported the leader and he would continue to support David Shearer. Yet the media – and in particular Patrick Gower – made mischievous claims during the Conference, and Cunliffe was unceremoniously packed off to the back bench on the back of those claims.

     For the Labour caucus to make decisions on someone’s political future largely based on media misrepresentation is a very poor look indeed. If Labour fails to reinstate one of our brightest and most talented parliamentarians then the party will ultimately pay a big price. I do not say that as a threat but rather an unfortunate reality.
   • bad12 7.5

     4 February 2013 at 7:42 pm

     Was just thinking about Her the other night, off to OZ for a better future, perhaps you could entice Her back to appear in another election…
   • xtasy 7.6

     4 February 2013 at 8:22 pm

     “I hope more colleagues engage on the Standard, a must read for me. Constructive comment and exchange of ideas would be of two way benefit.”

     WOW, IS THIS FOR REAL?

     There must have been some serious discussions at the West Auckland Caucus Meeting! And then Shearer says he does not read blogs. Maybe Annette is going to whisper something into his ears soon?

     I sense a change of tone and change of heart, perhaps at least in some, as Annette is indicating here. If that is taken up, and real debate with the Labour MPs happens here, this could lead to become a game changer.

     I will watch this space, and see what will come of it.
8. marty mars 8

   4 February 2013 at 5:47 pm

   “showing lack of profile of your leader in a key demographic”

   a key demographic? I don’t think so. Same old, same old – using tangata whenua to score points.
9. George D 9

   4 February 2013 at 5:50 pm

   I wonder how many know who Annette King is.
   • Te Reo Putake 9.1

     4 February 2013 at 7:17 pm

     A hell of a lot more than know who you are, George. Annette has actually helped change kiwi’s lives for the better in the last Government; what have you done that makes you in any way memorable?
     • rosy 9.1.1

       5 February 2013 at 1:40 am

       She did excellent work with primary health care and improving access for children and the most vulnerable through community PHOs.

       One of my fears about the current opposition is that bits are being taken away, every so gradually and the health spokesperson for labour is not getting any traction on this issue. I’d love to know why Tony Ryall is getting away with this stuff.
10. hush minx 10

    4 February 2013 at 6:07 pm

    It’s great to see Annette here – thank you. I am sure you will understand however that at least some of us are feeling a little cynical on your arrival on the day that the leadership vote which was to be public is no longer. That, in combination with some of the less than flattering descriptions of writers and commentators (including by Mike Smith) lead me to suspect that we will want to see a sustained engagement for it to feel genuine.
11. Scintilla 11

    4 February 2013 at 6:52 pm

    Well, where is the Maori vote going to go, now that the Maori Party is looking decidedly shaky? Often thought the Greens were a natural ally – enviro/kaitiakitanga, now the housing policy most aimed at low-income earners, strong emphasis on identity, inclusive attitude.

    As for knowing who the Prime Minister or Leader of the Opposition is, try asking Year 12-13 students, 16-18 yrs old. Political awareness – Not Achieved.
12. unpcnzcougar 12

    4 February 2013 at 7:45 pm

    Explaining or deflecting is losing.
13. bad12 13

    4 February 2013 at 7:48 pm

    LOLZ, sometimes this place feels like being questioned by a plod investigating a serious crime, you really really have to watch what you say as the good old unglish language can make anything you say easily misconstrued and sound as suspicious as anyone wants to believe it to be…
    • McFlock 13.1

      4 February 2013 at 7:55 pm

      it is a political blog 😉
      • fenderviper 13.1.1

        4 February 2013 at 8:40 pm

        and a political world…..

        We live in a political world
        Love don’t have any place
        We’re living in times
        Where men commit crimes
        And crime don’t have any face.

        We live in a political world
        Icicles hanging down
        Wedding bells ring
        And angels sing
        Clouds cover up the ground.

        We live in a political world
        Wisdom is thrown in jail
        It rots in a cell
        Is misguided as hell
        Leaving no one to pick up a trail.

        We live in a political world
        Where mercy walks the plank
        Life is in mirrors
        Death disappears
        Up the steps into the nearest bank.

        We live in a political world
        Where courage is a thing of the past
        Houses are haunted
        Children unwanted
        The next day could be your last.

        We live in a political world
        The one we can see and feel
        But there’s no one to check
        It’s all a stacked deck
        We all know for sure that it’s real.

        We live in a political world
        In the cities of lonesome fear
        Little by little
        You turn in the middle
        But you’re never sure why you’re here.

        We live in a political world
        Under the microscope
        You can travel anywhere
        And hang yourself there
        You always got more than enough rope.

        We live in a political world
        Turning and trashing about
        As soon as you’re awake
        You’re trained to take
        What looks like the easy way out.

        We live in a political world
        Where peace is not welcome at all
        It’s turned away from the door
        To wonder some more
        Or put up against the wall.

        We live in a political world
        Everything is hers and his
        Climb into the frame
        And shout God’s name
        But you’re never sure what it is.

        -Bob Dylan
14. tsmithfield 14

    4 February 2013 at 9:04 pm

    I don’t think there is any reason to think that the low Maori awareness of Shearer as Labour party leader should be seen as a slight on Maori. That low level of awareness might also exist in the general population. So it might be more of an indication of how badly Shearer is doing than anything else.
15. deemac 15

    4 February 2013 at 10:14 pm

    anyone who ever talks to actual voters (as opposed to just talking about them) will be painfully aware that the vast majority, of all races, have minimal interest in politics and struggle to name more than a couple of MPs – Key, Peters and Mallard would probably be the top names if you shoved a microphone in front of people. The fact that most voters don’t recognise Shearer is not surprising considering the fact that he’s never even been a minister.
16. Duncan Garner 16

    4 February 2013 at 10:20 pm

    Rod, I’m not standing to be PM. But if you’ve got some money go ahead put your money where your mouth is, poll, and send me the results. Bit sensitive old Annie King. The old guard in Labour is seriously defensive, insecure and lacking any humour. I actually think voters see it.
    • CV - Real Labour 16.1

      4 February 2013 at 10:31 pm

      Good to know you check out the digs here from time to time Mr Garner.

      The old guard in Labour is seriously defensive, insecure and lacking any humour.

      Life is less fun after losing 8 MPs in 2011, still polling lower now than in 2008, and not quite knowing why.
17. Rhinocrates 17

    4 February 2013 at 10:45 pm

    To Garner:

    I welcome – as a mere self-indulgent commentator and certainly not any admin – engagement by anyone outside the blog’s own beltway.

    I actually think voters see it.

    Indeed. They may not pore over the daily press, but they get the vibe.

    To King:

    The bottom line is that the Labour Caucus has to be seen as a credible government in waiting. It matters not the least if certain members have snatched the very best deck chairs on the Titanic – it matters to the voters if (A) they represent them and (B) they can represent them.

    Silly little exercises in rhetorical masturbation like the absurd “Shearer Says” “e-newsletters” don’t matter and the show trials are actually toxic. Don’t insult the electorate… and don’t try to strip a tiny percentage from National.

    The electorate are not idiots. They want someone who will represent them, not just say that they are, and that has nothing to do with saying that someone in a pub in Napier whinged about all those bludgers that are so easy to attack.

    Ask why hundreds of thousands stayed at home in 2011.

    So, Annette, why do you exist? Why are you not a waste of space? Can you answer that question without you or your leader dog-whistling that someone else is a parasite or an idiot?

    Are you the government in waiting? Are you ready now?

    Don’t tell me – answer the hundreds of thousands who stayed at home.

    Are you, as a party competent?
18. AmaKiwi 18

    5 February 2013 at 12:13 am

    Annette, the caucus missed a brilliant opportunity today.

    If you had decided to have an open leadership contest Labour would have gotten phenomenal media coverage for a month or more. But wait, there’s more!

    The membership would have turned out for the debates and become involved, enthusiastic, and grown in numbers. But wait, there’s more!

    The process would have revealed who is the MP most able to defeat National. But wait, there’s more!

    The members would enthusiastically back the winner in the 2014 campaign because ALL of us would KNOW this is the best campaigner we have and our best chance to win.

    Too late. The caucus blew it. It’s not like we didn’t warn you.
    • Johninsg 18.1

      5 February 2013 at 6:17 am

      To be frank, I feel now that I cannot quite trust, depend or expect caucus to choose the candidate to be the leader of the Party to secure a really good chance of mounting a strong campaign for the next general election.

      The NZLP has more work to do to amend its constitution so that the members have a direct say or, at the very least, that the threshold be brought down to that of the UK Labour Party, ie 20%.

      I am currently a member of the NZLP.

Links to post

1. A Standard strategy | Kiwiblog: posted on 5 February 2013 at 12:02 pm
2. On engagement with the Labour caucus « The Standard: posted on 5 February 2013 at 6:57 pm

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