Open mike 17/03/2012

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, March 17th, 2012 - 20 comments
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Step right up to the mike…

20 comments on “Open mike 17/03/2012 ”

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  1. logie97 1
    17 March 2012 at 7:07 am

    I think we had better get used to the new meme people …

    “Work for private money good, work for public money bad.”

    Start with central government, then fan out.
    Suggest teachers, doctors, nurses watch their backs with this lot.
    Joyce will stop at nothing. And he sounds so measured and calm doesn’t he?

    • Draco T Bastard 1.1
      17 March 2012 at 12:24 pm

      Actually, that would be:-

      Work to make a rich person richer, good, working to better the community/society, bad.

  2. just saying 2
    17 March 2012 at 7:59 am

    A quick perusal has shown unaniomous support for Shearer’s speech from the right-wing commentariat, so far.

    What more could we want?

    • lefty 2.1
      17 March 2012 at 9:24 am

      During the rogernomic years the media and business communities loved Labour.

      They are starting to do it again with Shearer, although they are still a bit cautious in order to encourage him to move even further to the right.

      The difference this time is the Greens and Mana already exist so people don’t have to wait for the formation of a new party to switch allegiances.

      I have always been critical of Labour on the basis that capitalism is inherently unfair and tinkering with it won’t change that – so pretending it will is being dishonest to the working class. But many of my friends in the union movement are labour people, and I respect them immensely despite our differing politics.

      Except for during the rogernomics era Labour also provided a sort of base line around progressive values – even if that line was lower than it should have been.

      Labour has always had a membership of good people dedicated to the furthering the interests of the working class . But, probably because of its desperate search for solutions within a capitalist framework, it is frequently seduced by quick fix leaders and ideas that fly in the face of its own principles. They have also always chosen leaders to the right of much of their activist base

      Choosing David Shearer as leader was another attempt at a quick fix rather than address the concrete situation. Every time he opens his mouth he displays a natural inclination to the values and ideas of the right. He speaks from his heart and thats where his heart is – some sort of compassionate conservative I guess.

      In the past Labour has got away with this sort of silliness but this time they probably won’t because the combination of existing parties to its left and the massive growth in the alienated people who don’t vote, partly because of the continual betrayal by Labour, means its vote will continue to dissapate until it becomes a very minor party indeed.

      It’s no too late to change but time is running out for their party faster than many Labour people may imagine.

      • Hami Shearlie 2.1.1
        17 March 2012 at 9:46 am

        Shearer want to get back some of the middle vote that went to National. He’s totally ignoring the million people who didn’t vote. Duh?

      • Half Crown Millionare 2.1.2
        17 March 2012 at 12:21 pm

        I voiced my concern on here about Shearer when the right started to say he was the “right” person (pun intended) for the job.

      • Rodel 2.1.3
        17 March 2012 at 9:35 pm

        Lefty This to me is pertinent, and well put.It sort of reflects my feeling. I like Labour I dislike National….but what’s the answer?

        “In the past Labour has got away with this sort of silliness but this time they probably won’t because the combination of existing parties to its left and the massive growth in the alienated people who don’t vote, partly because of the continual betrayal by Labour, means its vote will continue to dissipate until it becomes a very minor party indeed.”

    • Draco T Bastard 2.2
      17 March 2012 at 1:58 pm

      A quick perusal has shown unaniomous support for Shearer’s speech from the right-wing commentariat, so far.

      They realise that with this speech Labour has taken another step to the right and so will be alienating their support base which is all to the good in their eyes.

      • dancerwaitakere 2.2.1
        17 March 2012 at 8:45 pm

        It is indeed very worrying.

        Many leftys (mostly urban liberal types) are concerned over the rhetoric they are hearing from Shearer.

        I certainly am.

  3. muzza 3
    17 March 2012 at 9:13 am

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10792674

    Can’t wait to hear what this is all about…the drums were beating the past few weeks, Smith has been flexing his vocal chords expressing “concern”…..argh, bet its all going to really benefit the people, just like the PoAL debarcle which looks like it is giving credence to the risks highlighted a few years back when the super city was being formed, that Auckland would be seperated from its assets…I’m sure the rest of the country can expect the same….

    • ianmac 3.1
      17 March 2012 at 9:44 am

      You might wonder if some significant services were taken off Councils, just who would fund them instead?
      V8 racing bad. Auckland Super yacht Racing good.
      In Marlborough Council is faced with costs of running an extension to State Highway 1. That is the Ferry line in Marlborough Sounds. Whoopie if State paid those costs.

      • muzza 3.1.1
        17 March 2012 at 9:50 am

        There actually is the possibility that some good could come of this…however with the legals confusion inside the AKL Council over just what they are and are not able to say or do WRT PoAL. What I expect to see is more amalgamations with the assets being segregated and run by non council controlled set ups, hidden behind alledged costs savings of events councils should never being running anyway. Has Napier not already been used as a test?

  4. KATY 4
    17 March 2012 at 10:32 am

    Here we go again.

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10792548

    I thought the government had backtracked on this idea last term.

    (love to know who was in the government deligation)

  5. ianmac 5
    17 March 2012 at 11:10 am

    Notice that Key’s grand goals won’t really be evaluated for about 4-5 years. Funny that.

  6. Dave Kennedy 6
    17 March 2012 at 12:34 pm

    Too many projects are seeing the light of day because short term commercial interests are trumping good sustainable practice. This Government encourages such activity and local councils need to step up and take control of how their regions will develop into the future. The RMA has concerning flaws and the new DoC is agreeing in principle to things that previously would be inconceivable, we need robust regional development plans.

    http://localbodies-bsprout.blogspot.co.nz/2012/03/planning-for-southlands-future.html

  7. lou 59 7
    17 March 2012 at 12:38 pm

    Saw the Michele Hewitson interview in the Herald with Pearson ( Chairman at POL). Seem’s he makes $200,000 a year for working 2 days a week, a far cry from what they are complaining the wharfies are getting.

    • idlegus 7.1
      17 March 2012 at 1:40 pm

      Is that right? He’s been saying he “only” earns “about” a $100,000 a year, I heard him say it on radiolive last week. Buts it’s the union being greedy right?

  8. Jackal 8
    17 March 2012 at 8:02 pm

    Robert Bales – Asshole of the Week

    Thanks to nut jobs like Robert Bales, my contempt for the US led war in Afghanistan could not be greater…

    • Vicky32 8.1
      18 March 2012 at 3:57 pm

      Thanks to nut jobs like Robert Bales, my contempt for the US led war in Afghanistan could not be greater…

      Absolutely agreed! When I said as much on Facebook, with a link from Al Jazeera I caught hell from an American woman whose naivete/tricksiness shocked me – either she’s the most gullible naive woman unhung, or as the wife of a rich merchant banker in London, she has a second job as a propagandist…