Open mike 20/04/2025

Written By: - Date published: 9:19 am, April 20th, 2025 - 14 comments
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14 comments on “Open mike 20/04/2025 ”

  1. Ad 1

    With Ineos Britannia and Alinghi no longer in America's Cup, the whole enterprise has been cannibalised by the Sail GPS team phenomenon. Burling decided on Sail GPS whether jumped or pushed.

    All that $$$ taxpayer funding in MBIE sponsorship, $$$ ratepayer funding in portside infrastructure and civic promotion, hundreds of $$$ in private money, all that fawning global brand hype, revealed to be more and more money chasing less and less reward.

    Team NZ led a whole industry down a complete dead end.

    • bwaghorn 1.1

      That's because they had a power tripping greedy silly little man as boss who lost sight of what the Americas cup is all about, bring it back to Auckland, make it affordable matched yachts not an arms race, problem solved

      • SPC 1.1.1

        Formula One (and other motor sport) does not involve those competing to use the same car.

        There is the Olympics etc and Sail GPS, for that form of sailing.

    • alwyn 1.2

      I'll bet the Government are happy that they finally stopped throwing tax-payer money at the stupid thing. Pity it took so long to do so but at least it has finally been scrapped.

      • Ad 1.2.1

        MBIE used to have a major national events team, with a fund to go help make applications for things like Women's World Football, World Cup Rugby, Commonwealth Games and the like.

        They are taxpayer suck-holes but we'd be a boring lot without them.

      • SPC 1.2.2

        The limited cost (facilities already there) meant there was an economic return from hosting the event – just from the spending of the contestants.

  2. Sanctuary 2

    Another severe rain event in Auckland and where do I spot mayor Wayne Brown? Bent and shuffling on the broadwalk at Monganui, looking every inch a gaunt and frail 80 year old retiree. The lack of MSM commentary on the age of the mayor is a tightly managed, Bidenesque level exercise in elite collusion. If Kerri Leoni wants to make an actual race of the mayoralty in Auckland she needs to be hammering Brown on his age and cognitive abilities, she needs to get her people to film the mayor shuffling along away from his bodyguard of media minders and managers.

    And let's not hear about "fair play" – the political right via the FSU and the TPU and Jordan Williams other front organizations regularly engage in "formeting mischief" via personal character assassination.

    How much do we want to win?

    • alwyn 2.1

      Where is "Monganui"?

      • Ad 2.1.1

        Mangonui.

        Easy transposition to make.

        A sweet piece of Far North paradise, if you have a good independent income.

        • alwyn 2.1.1.1

          Thank you.

          If he was there during what was likely to turn into an emergency in Auckland he should be ashamed of himself. The Mayor should be in Auckland if he expects such a thing to be likely to happen. If a State of Emergency declaration is required it is simpler if he is around to do it.

          I object to the reference to him "shuffling around" I do that and I'm not ashamed of the fact that my circulation is stuffed and walking is difficult. It doesn't affect my mind. After all, Roosevelt was in a wheelchair for his 12 years as President and that alone didn't seem to be a problem.

          I didn't think of Mangonui when I read it. I thought that if the place was in Auckland he was probably doing what he should have been up to. Looking at what was going on for example.

          I agree with your description of the place though. We always visit when we are up in Northland, even though we don't stay there. Mind you, the fish and chip shop out over the water is grossly over-rated.

        • dpalenski 2.1.1.2

          Which old Wayne as commercial developer-landlord has

    • Ad 2.2

      Efeso Collins got close when there was a centre-right campaign split.

      That's why she called for the Deputy Mayor to stand.

      Leoni will struggle to get enough momentum with only 5 months to go.

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