Minority Report

25 comments on “Minority Report ”

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1. r0b 1

   28 August 2009 at 9:54 am

   Two thumbs down. Disgraceful.
2. Red Rosa 2

   28 August 2009 at 10:10 am

   Mana enhancement now surely a bit below par.

   Principles aside, in practical politics the Maori Party has now been rolled without a whimper on several serious issues. And each time they lose, their chances of getting anything out of the F&S review look slimmer.

   What has happened to these people? Stomp around all infuriated with Labour, then meekly take it on the chin when worse arrives from National?

   Maybe I am missing something.
3. lukas 3

   28 August 2009 at 10:12 am

   I agree that The Maori Party need to come clean on what happened and release the minority report to the public domain as mentioned here
4. Ianmac 4

   28 August 2009 at 10:16 am

   I had to admire the persistence of the Opposition in trying to persuade Lockwood to act. Brave stuff. A pity that the Maori Party couldn’t negotiate 2 Maori seats in Auckland for modified report. More likely “Do what we say or we will kill the Seabed and Foreshore.”
   Catchpa: divisions
5. Scott Yorke 5

   28 August 2009 at 10:27 am

   “when Sean Plunket (in one of those interviews that makes you remember how good a powerful interview can be) ripped Rahui Katene apart on the issue this morning”

   I heard that interview and my impression at the time was that Plunkett was quite rude and needlessly aggressive, and wouldn’t let the interviewee speak.

   Plunkett’s generally a good interviewer, but sometimes he gets carried away. I’m not a big fan of combat interview techniques, unless the other person is a real rogue and deserves a smackdown.
   • Bright Red 5.1

     28 August 2009 at 10:48 am

     She was trying to avoid answering the questions. Plunket, when he wants to, is the best out there for not letting politicans get away with avoiding answering the question. At least he just doesn’t sit there and let them spin the public, he tries to get answers fro us (unless he’s softballing like he does for Key most of the time)

     I mean, listen to the interview, he asks straight questions and she tries to avoid it:

     Plunket: “are you planning to supoprt National’s changes to the ETS?”
     Katene: “we’re planning to support the environment”

     Plunket: “are you planning to supoprt National’s changes to the ETS?”
     Katene: “if it supports the environment we can support…”

     Plunket: “and do you consider currently it does?”
     Katene: “we….. um….. in their eyes I’m saw they think it does”

     Plunket: “do you consider that it does?”
     Katene: “we don’t consder an ETS supports the environment as much as it should do, that’s always been our position”

     Plunket: “and if it was stronger you would vote for it?”
     Katene: “if it was stronger we could certainly vote for it”

     He exposes her as shifty, we can all see what it is she is trying not to say, and he gets a confession out of her, they don’t consider the ETS as it stands strong enough and would need something stronger, not weaker like National wants, to back it. So, if they do back a weakening, they’ve broken their word and abandoned their principles.
     • marty mars 5.1.1

       28 August 2009 at 1:32 pm

       actually, whilst i don’t agree with what has happened and i think the maori party have looked naive around this issue, those answers are pretty good – standard polly answers to questions you don’t really want to answer… haven’t we heard plenty of them before from across the political spectrum?
       • Tigger 5.1.1.1

         28 August 2009 at 3:58 pm

         Scott – I thought Plunkett was actually very kind. His style is brusque but I felt he was pretty nice to her all things considered (I mean, their position is ludicrously embarassing and indefensible). She was a literal deer in the headlights. He could have utterly ground her to a paste and he didn’t – he played the ball (the facts), not the person. I’m not a Plunkett fan but after this I take my hat off to him – he did his job as a journalist – and did it very well. This is the fourth estate working as it should.
       • felix 5.1.1.2

         28 August 2009 at 3:58 pm

         those answers are pretty good standard polly answers to questions you don’t really want to answer

         Maybe on paper, but did you listen to it? Zero conviction, totally unconvincing. She didn’t believe a word she said and it was obvious.

         Should’ve sent Dr. Pita, at least he tries to put on a brave face and a smile to sell the party line.
         • Tigger 5.1.1.2.1

           28 August 2009 at 4:00 pm

           marty – her answers were excruiating. I heard better constructed arguments back when doing debating in Intermediate School!
           • jarbury 5.1.1.2.1.1

             28 August 2009 at 4:58 pm

             It’s a pity because I think Katene is the best of the Maori Party MPs and she feels very strongly on climate change. She probably hates what’s going on.
           • marty mars 5.1.1.2.1.2

             28 August 2009 at 5:02 pm

             I know, you are all right 🙁
6. BLiP 6

   28 August 2009 at 11:28 am

   What do you mean “ACT won’t back down on their idiotic principles” ?

   First of all they have no “principles”, I’m sure you meant “position” and, second, ACT has already shown its so-called principles are as frim as jelly.
   • lukas 6.1

     28 August 2009 at 11:41 am

     BLiP, you are a one eyed moron.
     • BLiP 6.1.1

       28 August 2009 at 12:41 pm

       Hi first name is Lucas
       And, man, what a doofus
       He voted for ACT
       Even though they are crap
       And their leaders solidified mucous
     • Pascal's bookie 6.1.2

       28 August 2009 at 1:02 pm

       Prince Hide is a man who will stand
       fast and firm on beliefs of one hand.
       Political bother?
       Try out another
       more convenient spot in the sand.
     • Maynard J 6.1.3

       28 August 2009 at 1:12 pm

       Rodney Hide need not
       bend, for he drifts every-which
       way the wind may blow
     • felix 6.1.4

       28 August 2009 at 1:34 pm

       As welcome as any mosquito,
       he looked just like Danny DeVito.
       He gobbled some pills,
       and he honed his dance skills,
       and now he resembles Benito.
   • NickS 6.2

     28 August 2009 at 7:03 pm

     Or can be changed for a bit of “funding”;
     Meet Alan Gibbs, builder of amphibious HumVees and “climate science’ coalitions
7. the sprout 7

   28 August 2009 at 12:37 pm

   it’s just one humiliation after another for the Maori Party. if it weren’t for Hone they’d look like complete saps.
8. lprent 8

   28 August 2009 at 12:57 pm

   I’d have to agree with blip. That change of act’s position on climate change after Gibbs (noted ccd) donated to act points to a lack of principle. There are other ones, like the blatant pandering to sst. Etc

   they look like political opportunists
   • So Bored 8.1

     28 August 2009 at 1:42 pm

     ACT do have principles…..Accounting principles, working out what belongs to us and taking it off us. Sort of inverse Robin Hood principles.
9. lprent 9

   28 August 2009 at 1:04 pm

   The Maori party on the other hand just look political virgins getting done over by a snakeoil salesman.

   Still I suppose is is one way of learning. Hard lessons will hopefully stick for the next attempt at a Maori based party
10. outofbed 10

    28 August 2009 at 4:10 pm

    Perhaps they should just read their own website

    The Māori Party is committed to keeping our natural resources and environment healthy, safe and intact for everyone and for future generations.
    The Māori Party believes in the efficient use of water, the conservation of energy, and the need for sustainable environmental management.
    The Māori Party is also committed to assisting whanau, hapu and iwi, as tangata tiaki, to take whatever measures are necessary to ensure the wellbeing and future good health of the environment.

    * We promote the appropriate development of renewable energy resources, including geothermal and hydro, wave, wind and solar, in order to protect and preserve limited resources such as oil, gas and coal.
    * We support the Department of Conservation in working with local hapu and iwi to transfer the kaitiakitanga role back to tangata whenua.

    We aspire to work together to make the economy great but not at the expense of our environment. Climate change affects us all and the biggest emitters must take responsibility to change the way they do business. Any cost they pass on to consumers must encourage environmentally responsible choices. The principle must be that polluters pay.

    We want sustainable development. We must reduce our dependence on oil by strategies to reuse, recycle, repair, respect, replace and trade local.
11. QoT 11

    29 August 2009 at 3:15 pm

    Good gods, that interview is embarrassing. I feel sorry for Katene, getting sent up against Plunket with such horrifically poor lines.

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