National candidates turn chicken

Written By: - Date published: 7:46 am, September 15th, 2017 - 34 comments
Categories: election 2017, labour, national, Politics, same old national, you couldn't make this shit up - Tags: , , ,

What is it with the National Party and its candidates. No matter what happens this is the weakest and most amateurish campaign I have seen National run since at least 2002 and the results then were pretty conclusive.

Putting to one side Bill English’s clear charisma gap this year I thought National would put up a fight and select candidates who could actually threaten Labour in its seats. After all not that long ago National was polling close to 50% and Labour’s polling was not very good so anything could have been possible.

But out west National’s campaign has been anaemic.

It is that bad right now that National’s Kelston and New Lynn candidates are refusing to accept invitations to debates.  The local paper Western Leader wanted to put on a public meeting that would be televised on facebook but our intrepid Kelston and New Lynn National candidates declined.

This should be a no brainer. If you get a chance to talk to people to spread the good word and get party votes then you should take every opportunity to do so. Especially if you are Paulo Garcia and you have a chance of being elected on the list if the party vote holds up. If that is the case you should be doing the mahi every day.

But it appears that Garcia is rather shy which is not a good thing if you want to be a politician. He is even reluctant to talk to the Herald.  Pro tip, if you are a candidate and get the chance to be interviewed by the Herald you should drop everything and make sure that you can accept the offer.  As soon as possible.

From David Fisher at the Herald:

Getting hold of Garcia to ask why he deserves that seat isn’t easy. Messages are left unanswered, resulting in a call from National’s campaign coordinator Clark Hennessy wanting to know why the NZ Herald wants to talk to him.

It could be nervousness about Garcia’s anti-abortion stance, or his comments about sex being only for procreation.

Hennessy wants to know questions. The NZ Herald refuses – candidates should be able to stand on their own two feet – so we go back to leaving messages, resulting in Garcia asking for an emailed list of questions.

“I just think he’s apprehensive,” says Hennessy in a later phone call. “These new guys get scared of the media and scared of f***ing up. When you’re a candidate for the governing party, you are more risk averse.”

Or the governing party is more risk averse.

Garcia eventually calls, explaining he’s struggling to keep up with the demands of the campaign. “I’m trying to do the best I can.”

I can understand National’s nervousness. Having a candidate who does not believe in recreational fornication is not something that westies would necessarily understand.

But I can’t understand why Garcia and Baala Beeram would be so reluctant to take part in a debate with Carmel Sepuloni and Deborah Russell.

Unless they are afraid of strong wahine …

34 comments on “National candidates turn chicken ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. Nick 1
    15 September 2017 at 8:18 am

    That’s just weird. I guess they like the idea of being a paid politician but not the work.

    • Anne 1.1
      15 September 2017 at 9:35 am

      No its not weird. Who wants to debate with Deborah and Carmel? They’d be mincemeat against those two strong and intelligent women in seconds. Poor wee fellas are scared of them.

      • Cinny 1.1.1
        15 September 2017 at 1:37 pm

        Snap Anne, was thinking the same re the magnificent Carmel and Deborah, those ladies are da bomb. 😀 They really are, I rate those two most excellent women.

        If the no show nat candidates are too busy/scared/shy to participate in a public debate how on earth will they get on in the house which is pretty much a televised/live streamed debating chamber.

        By making themselves unavailable to answer questions from the public and debate other candidates on policy reeks to me of deception/lack of transparency or sheer lack of knowledge around their own party policies.

      • Once was Tim 1.1.2
        15 September 2017 at 1:45 pm

        +100!
        But there’s a few things going on at the moment amongst the Natzis.
        – Paula Bent’s obviously been told to keep a low profile for a start
        – They’ve been given a few ‘Keywords’ (in amongst the usual CT kaka like ‘going forward’), such as Choice Choice CHoice,Tax tex tex, stable gummint, etc. etc.), so in any debate involving a Natzi response would be more like a used car salesman trying to sell a lemon.
        – Then of course, amongst google and other social media group discussions, and NZ-based Chinoise media, there’s a constant PLEA – some of it pretty heavy …. to vote National ….. because otherwise “we won’t be able to buy any houses”.

        By the way …. where the fuck IS Paula Bennett these days, aside from that happy happy smiley face and over-elated diposition on Dunk and Richardson’s AM show?

        tc (below) just reminded me the non-entity and legend in his own mind’s name is Mark Richardson – go-eeen forwid,
        A hurrr hurrr hurrr hurrrr.
        Thank Christ the only way I am able to witness the prik from time to time is because of a faulty, intermittent Skoi decoder remote control unit

  2. mac1 2
    15 September 2017 at 8:35 am

    “National candidates turn chicken”. This reluctance deserves derision.

    Playing it by the “buk”. Egg on their faces. Nesting instincts strong in National.

    The answer is in the ballot box, not the nesting box. Political candidacy is partly a test of integrity, character and commitment, not just an electoral charade to be endured for democratic niceties by careerists with a sense of entitlement.

  3. Ad 3
    15 September 2017 at 9:31 am

    Nats are concentrated on taking out Twyford with Ngaro. Labour has gained very few urban electoral seats in last 12 years.

    • Anne 3.1
      15 September 2017 at 9:37 am

      And they ain’t gonna succeed. Twyford is one of the most brilliant organisers and campaigners I have witnessed in 40 plus years of political activity.

      • lprent 3.1.1
        15 September 2017 at 10:16 am

        Agreed. Usually the real problem I found was keeping up with his forward planning.

        • Once was Tim 3.1.1.1
          15 September 2017 at 2:20 pm

          Forward planning – and agreed, But then there’s actually no such forward planning amongst his opposition, which has only been about seeing the short term, and Oh Shit Ollie – another fine mess you’ve gotten me into – what are we gunna do nex?.

          Usually the answer has been the CT hotline of the brilliance of blubberand penguins)

    • tc 3.2
      15 September 2017 at 10:06 am

      Ngaro was toasted by him on ‘the project’ in what seemed a housing discussion apparently, 75% to 25%.

      Didn’t listen as it meet the condition ‘IF Mark Richardson THEN engage mute’

  4. esoteric pineapples 4
    15 September 2017 at 10:18 am

    “Having a candidate who does not believe in recreational fornication is not something that westies would necessarily understand.”

    Fornication meaning – sexual intercourse between people not married to each other.

    He’s not just against recreational fornication. He’s against men and women who are married having sex for any other reason than to produce a child.

    • Cinny 4.1
      15 September 2017 at 1:39 pm

      O.O it’s that fella, the one who only has sex to make a baby. Mr “no unproductive love making allowed”.

    • D'Esterre 4.2
      15 September 2017 at 2:35 pm

      esoteric pineapples: “He’s not just against recreational fornication. He’s against men and women who are married having sex for any other reason than to produce a child.”

      What is he: a Catholic priest?

    • One Anonymous Bloke 4.3
      15 September 2017 at 2:39 pm

      Red flag for family violence, that guy.

  5. Tricledrown 5
    15 September 2017 at 12:11 pm

    Nationals own internal polling must show most National Cabinet ministers are a turn off for voters as they all seem to have gone into hiding.

    • Macro 5.1
      15 September 2017 at 1:24 pm

      That is true – even here in true blue territory Nat MP Scott Simpson “couldn’t make it” to the Education debate chaired by RNZ’s Wallace Chapman at the Civic Centre. At other debates compared to the other candidates he has been less than impressive. Apparently the roll out of the fibre network to Thames next year will replace the several hundred jobs lost in the last 3 years with the closure of the Timber mill and A & G Price.
      As for the impending costs associated with SLR in the future*…….

      But he is a member of the cross party Parliamentary committee on Climate Change formed by Kennedy Graham – so it will be alright.

      *Half of Thames is less than 0.5m above SL

  6. Draco T Bastard 6
    15 September 2017 at 12:37 pm

    But I can’t understand why Garcia and Baala Beeram would be so reluctant to take part in a debate with Carmel Sepuloni and Deborah Russell.

    One newbie politician could possibly be too busy as he simply hasn’t got the experience to handle things (in which case he probably shouldn’t be a candidate) but two is Head Office telling them not to.

  7. cleangreen 7
    15 September 2017 at 1:11 pm

    Yes National are famous for not fronting up to meetings especially in GIsborne as we have a National MP Anne Tolley here that we all call ‘no show Trolley’ as she never ever ever ever ever comes to meetings when asked by our community.

  8. Derek Kelsey 8
    15 September 2017 at 1:27 pm

    Nationals problem is they have no Policies to debate, everything they have come up with so far has been totally discredited by Lie after Lie after Lie. Is it any wonder they are running scared.

  9. alwyn 9
    15 September 2017 at 2:25 pm

    I will no doubt be accused or running the “But Labour do it to” line but in the mainland it would appear to be true, extending even to the Labour Party leader.
    From a National leaning website we see that –
    https://homepaddock.wordpress.com/2017/09/15/labours-no-show/

    • McFlock 9.1
      15 September 2017 at 2:32 pm

      Are they evading interviews with the Herald, too?

    • Ad 9.2
      15 September 2017 at 2:33 pm

      The Labour candidate for Waitaki was in Wanaka last week, covering precisely that issue with Parker, as I wrote in the post a few days ago.

      But you knew that.

    • One Anonymous Bloke 9.3
      15 September 2017 at 2:37 pm

      I note the author lies about Eugenie Sage. Liars don’t get to dictate this election agenda.

    • aom 9.4
      15 September 2017 at 8:13 pm

      Poor Alwyn doesn’t realise that the horses bolted from the Home Paddock so now there is only horse-shit there.

  10. Ethica 10
    15 September 2017 at 3:05 pm

    It’s not just their candidates not fronting. Murray McCully is still on the public service payroll but is doing that media no-show thing that National Ministers usually do, apart from in the last month of an election campaign. (This is about the lies now revealed about the dead sheep Saudi saga after the Ombudsman forced the release of information under the OIA after two years).

  11. tracey 11
    15 September 2017 at 3:33 pm

    Bennett was the first to run last election, to upper harbour.

  12. Tanz 12
    15 September 2017 at 4:19 pm

    These meetings are very poorly attended, at one, a few years back, Paula Bennett was very badly treated., according to her. Cold halls too. There is only ever a handful of people. It’s all about TV and radio these days, far more with it. Also, who has the time. And out West, all the seats are mostly safe Labour, so what is the point.

    • red-blooded 12.1
      15 September 2017 at 4:38 pm

      So don’t be a local candidate if you don’t want to talk to local people, at local events, covered by local media. Besides, you don’t have to win the seat in order to win over some Party votes (and presumably that’s what they’re after).

    • ScottGN 12.2
      15 September 2017 at 4:55 pm

      A classic sign of the tide going out though isn’t it Tanz? When the party in power starts avoiding their constituents because they’re worried the reception won’t be very good. Also I assume the debates would have gone out on various social media platforms like all the others do these days.

  13. Tanz 13
    15 September 2017 at 6:53 pm

    You might be right, it has been nine years, and that is always a problem for a sitting govt, no matter what they do. Yeah, possibly the local MPs should and could make more of an effort, but maybe they’ve been told by the boss not to attend the debates?
    Who knows. I personally enjoy local candidate debates, but its all social media these days, it’s all about soundbites rather than real debating. Watched the ’84 televised debate between Lange and Muldoon the other day via Youtube, talk about depth and substance from both, as both given decent amounts of time. Real debating, real TV! So much better.

  14. Incognito 14
    15 September 2017 at 11:07 pm

    National Ministers have form by shunning the sunlight and hiding behind the OIA so it is only natural that their wannabe MPs are from the same mould. Mind you, I couldn’t be an electorate candidate as I would be light-years away from my comfort zone.

  15. cleangreen 15
    16 September 2017 at 3:01 pm

    Yes Incognito 100%

    National now have four hits on them now over corruption with MP’s public services and corruption with public funds.

    Ethica 10 said it right here;
    1/ The release of the lies National claimed was legally threatened about over the Saudi Sheep deal was just released yesterday and the NZ Herald hasn’t covered it, but it is a huge scandal the Nat’s know they will be drillled with the information about Mc Cully’s lies to us all two years ago.

    2/Then there was Todd Barclay’s excape to England also as he was being under investigation by the police so couldn’t leave but the NZ Herald failed to cover thiis also!!!

    So all these scandals are piling up at National Party doors, and they have been told not to talk to the press I believe!!

    So that was why they are diving for cover now, as the press can’t ask tese MP’s about this all then can they?

    3/Bill English has yet to explain why he was Finance minister at the tiime of McCully’s lies and failed to stop the payout of $14 million to the Saudi guy when he didn’t need to as he wasn not given a legal reference to pay in case of a legal suit.

    4/Then English again should be investigated as to declare why he let Todd Barclay leave NZ when the police were conducting their investigation of his case.

    Very big fishy smell now comming out of Wellington, and MSM are so quiet about all this as well, shameful it is. Guilty by association.