Open mike 22/02/2010

40 comments on “Open mike 22/02/2010 ”

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1. Matthew Hooton 1

   22 February 2010 at 7:39 am

   So, how about those polls then?
   • IrishBill 1.1

     22 February 2010 at 7:45 am

     Don’t be a troll matty.
     • Lanthanide 1.1.1

       22 February 2010 at 9:45 am

       Two others were told to take the poll comments to the open mike thread. So when it gets raised here, they’re called a troll too?
       • felix 1.1.1.1

         22 February 2010 at 9:58 am

         Nah, Hooten’s called a troll ‘cos he is a troll.
       • Armchair Critic 1.1.1.2

         22 February 2010 at 10:03 am

         Yeah, but it’s old news, the first poll was out late last week. They got all the discussion they deserved at the time.
         And polls in the middle of the election cycle are kind of irrelevant.
         And there are a lot more interesting things to discuss out there.
   • Marty G 1.2

     22 February 2010 at 7:55 am

     how about that record drop in confidence in the govt in the roy morgan?
   • sk 1.3

     22 February 2010 at 10:05 am

     It will be the economy stupid, not the polls.
   • Jason Rika 1.4

     22 February 2010 at 4:18 pm

     Perfect for a bunch of pole dancers!
   • logie97 1.5

     22 February 2010 at 5:21 pm

     Is this the sort of informed post we might expect from a political commentator who has a regular spot on Radio New Zealand’s Nine to Noon? Surely not the same Matthew Hooton. God help the soul when Matthew finds out that someone is posing here using his name. (If it is the same Hooton, then someone might be reading the fine print on his contract with RNZ looking for a clause somewhere that mentions a requirement for his being sane. There must be many other commentators who could fill his slot…)
2. Kevin Welsh 2

   22 February 2010 at 7:55 am

   What’s up with the mobile site this morning?
3. John Dalley 3

   22 February 2010 at 8:04 am

   Have been reading a couple of articles over the weekend about the likes of Graeme Burton and another of our more psychotic criminals and was thinking that our parole system should be amended to allow for our worst criminals prison records to be taken into account as opposed to them receiving an automatic release at the end of their sentence.
   For those criminals like Burton, who during their time in prison, demonstrate that they are never going to be rehabilitated should never be allowed out of prison, never ever.
   While this will not be a large number of convicts, they are the worst we have.
   Changes should be made in our justice system to allow their prison sentences to be extended to the end of their life but only after a rigorous investigation and input from appropriate medical and other professional people to judge whether these sorts of criminals will ever be cured.
   • Pascal's bookie 3.1

     22 February 2010 at 8:47 am

     Hang on a minute. Of course people must be released at the end of their sentence.

     If prisoners keep offending while in prison, then those crimes need to be investigated and prosecuted. The sentences for those crimes should take care of your concerns.

     Also worth bearing in mind that life sentences are actually just that. Parole is not gauranteed, and when given, the prisoner remains on parole until they die.
4. John Dalley 4

   22 February 2010 at 8:07 am

   Matthew. Don’t crow, it will only make the humble pie you have to eat later this year harder to swallow.
5. tc 5

   22 February 2010 at 9:05 am

   Polls…..what one spin doctor wants to appease his patients ills, all highly subjective like for example let’s do a phone poll…..say only XT customers, how many don’t answer and who eaxctly do new XT customers represent….oh and the lowly paid don’t have an XT phone…..mmmm see how easy it is to manipulate the outcome if you control the sample.

   That’s before we consider ambiguous questions or poorly worded ones or the ‘black box’ that generates the answers…..not unlike the black box used in corporate performance appraisals……bonuses for management, small change for middle management…..the rest miss out…..gosh, sorry about that but it’s a quality process.

   The only poll that matters is 2011 and they are going to need alot more than goofy PR antics and ministers who are clueless (as king/mallard so easily demonstrated) as the problems they face continue to rise due to sheer incompetance, inaction and an outdated ideological approach that’s never worked before…..oh and then there’s the almighty shafting they’re giving akl.
   • mickysavage 5.1

     22 February 2010 at 9:16 am

     As Jim Bolger said after the 1993 election when he squeaked in after the polls predicted a comfortable National victory,

     Damned Polls.
     • GFraser 5.1.1

       22 February 2010 at 9:25 am

       Mickey, Matthew suffers from selective memory syndrome, usually happens when the silver spoon in ones mouth interferes with the brains electrical circuits:)
       • mickysavage 5.1.1.1

         22 February 2010 at 5:44 pm

         Or maybe by mistake it was placed in another oriface?
   • lukas 5.2

     22 February 2010 at 9:18 am

     “say only XT customers”

     That is a stupid poll… no one will be able to answer their phone 😛
6. Anne 6

   22 February 2010 at 9:21 am

   @ Matthew Hooton. Grow up and act your age man. You call yourself a professional?

   We’ve just had a ‘real’ prime minister in the country (albeit briefly) not a cheesily grinning clown who thinks that running the country is all about showbiz and very little else. One day the masses will wake up and realise what a bunch of fools they have been and they will send the clown and his show ponies packing…
   • luva 6.1

     22 February 2010 at 10:11 am

     “One day the masses will wake up and realise what a bunch of fools they have been ”

     How unbelievably arrogant is that statement. You and most of the fringe left only think Labour lost because the electorate is too stupid to know what is good for them. Stop treating voters with this attitude.

     You will only begin to gain support when you finally realise why you were rejected in ’08. Until that day comes you better get used to having no influence on New Zealands future.
     • Lanthanide 6.1.1

       22 February 2010 at 11:38 am

       Please, enlighten us to why Labour was rejected in 2008.
     • Draco T Bastard 6.1.2

       22 February 2010 at 11:42 am

       You and most of the fringe left only think Labour lost because the electorate is too stupid to know what is good for them.

       It’s not a question of them being too stupid to know what’s good for them but that they don’t have reliable information. This lack of information led them to actually believe that National were good for them. Well, as time goes on and they get more of the real information they’ll realise that National are actually bad for them and vote them out.
7. vto 7

   22 February 2010 at 9:26 am

   You know, this govt is starting to remind me of the early days of the Clark regime. All cocky and over-confident. Pushing through things less favourable. “the only game in town” as Cullen put it.

   Its all a bit smelly. I suspect the general populace has not caught whiff quite yet.
8. pollywog 8

   22 February 2010 at 9:43 am

   I’ve got a poll question…

   Do you think Labour could do a better job in govt than National currently is ?….why ?
9. prism 9

   22 February 2010 at 10:16 am

   The Euro is under pressure partly because of Greece’s dire financial problems. The practices of dodgy financing unregulated or insufficiently controlled being allowed to continue so long has brought the world to its knees. (Very gloomy
   future foreseen on well written blog. Get link from – Open Mike
   21/02/2010 RedLogix at 9:14 am)

   Also the Dutch government coalition is breaking over troops for Afghanistan.
   The big countries and economies have so much money and power and they are pulling small countries like ourselves and Australia et al into their vengeful arguments and attacks to obtain resources for themselves. We end up like a source of unpaid mercenaries, worse we pay for the privilege of fighting for them – it’s a feudal system really writ large. (If they do pay something to us it will not match the financial costs and the costs from disharmony, anger and revenge that rebound on us all.)
10. randal 10

    22 February 2010 at 10:35 am

    polls trolls schmolls.
    its obvious that national lifted their whole campaign from woodwards book on clinton so its their turn next to feel the heat.
    anyway.
    just a wlecome to Helen clark and a farewell after her brief visit.
    she is looking more poised and balanced and statesmanlike every day
    she managed to look down her nose at paul holmes after he asked her what are YOU going to do about the earthquake in Haiti.
    how have we managed to hand over the national discourse to a pinhead will always be one of lifes msyteries but I guess thats the New Zealand way.
11. vidiot 11

    22 February 2010 at 10:41 am

    Anyone else find the advert in the top right ironic ?

    Search latest Jobs
    Positions $150k+
    NZ Govt Jobs
    Media & Ent. Jobs
    NZ Salary Guide
12. Anne 12

    22 February 2010 at 11:34 am

    @ luva
    Fringe left? Don’t kid yourself luva. You must one of the masses – as in large numbers – that I was referring to. Get yourself back to Kiwiblog where arrogance and ignorance are a prerequisite.
13. randal 13

    22 February 2010 at 11:44 am

    Hi Anne.
    the distinguishing mark of the wiseacres and noo noo heads of the right is that they think they know everything and what they dont know doesnt matter.
    their turn is about to come when nationa crashes and burns about november2011 if not before.
14. Mach1 14

    22 February 2010 at 12:16 pm

    Are you nauseated and frightened by the growth of Tea Party organizing, and the zany old white people in funny hats at the center of the current media blitz? It’s time to fight back! Join The Cocktail Party, a barstool-roots movement for left wing urban homosexuals and the people who love us. The major planks of this new movement’s platform include:

    *Nationalize the banks
    *Soak the rich with high taxes
    *Abolish the Senate
    *Abolish the Electoral College
    *Free public education through college for all
    *Free day care for elders and children
    *National health care
    *Universal accessibility
    *Abolish all student loan, credit card and mortgage debt

    *Withdraw from Iraq and Afghanistan, shift resources to the Arts, and to an independent Haiti
    *Forgiveness of all debt of developing countries
    *Outlaw invidious discrimination
    *Abolish prisons for all non violent crime, prioritize community rehabilitation for all crime
    *Decriminalize sex work and drugs
    *Open borders
    *Abolish marriage
15. Graham 15

    22 February 2010 at 12:56 pm

    “the distinguishing mark of the wiseacres and noo noo heads of the right is that they think they know everything and what they dont know doesnt matter”

    And there you have managed to describe just one of the reasons why Labour lost. Labour did many good things, but they were in power too long. Simple as that. They became too arrogant, though they knew everything, and thought they knew what was best for us – the people who put them there in the first place.

    Their arrogance cost them the election.
    • Pascal's bookie 15.1

      22 February 2010 at 1:15 pm

      thought they knew what was best for us the people who put them there in the first place

      All politicians think that Graham. It’s part of the ‘standing for election’ thing. This government is exactly the same.
16. Cameron 16

    22 February 2010 at 2:32 pm

    This important meeting is on tonight. Come along if you can.

    Public Meeting: The Search and Surveillance Bill: An Attack on Civil Rights.

    Monday 22nd February, 7:30pm, St Columba Centre, 40 Vermont Street, Ponsonby, Auckland

    Speakers: Keith Locke Green MP

    Barry Wilson, Lawyer, Auckland Council for Civil Liberties.

    The Search and Surveillance Bill, currently before Parliament, is a serious threat to civil liberties in New Zealand. It broadly increases the powers of the police and other government agencies to monitor, search and detain individuals for minor and nonexistent infringements.

    One of the most worrying concerns is that the Bill undermines the right of silence by allowing the police to apply for ‘examination orders’ which will force defendants to answer questions. This right has traditionally protected all citizens of free democracies from making forced statements and is a cornerstone of our fair and free trial proceedings. The Human Rights Commission has raised concerns that ‘examination orders’ could be used by police against trade unionists and political activists accused of minor charges, such as trespass.

    Events in recent years – such as the legally questionable ‘terror raids’ of October 2007 and the exposure of Rob Gilchrist, a paid police informant employed to infiltrate activist groups, including SAFE, Greenpeace, and the Green Party – clearly show that the curtailment of civil rights is not simply an abstract issue, but is one than should be taken very seriously.
    • Bill 16.1

      22 February 2010 at 2:47 pm

      This might be of interest. Sounds like the Search and Surveillance Bill might have similar clauses to the ones used to harass these photographers in the UK. Kind of ludicrous. Taking photographs in a suspicious manner all amounting to being anti-social..(10 min vid)

      http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/feb/21/photographer-films-anti-terror-arrest
17. Doug 17

    22 February 2010 at 7:51 pm

    By Duncan Garner
    There’s an old saying in politics: ‘the phone is off the hook’.
    And for Labour Leader Phil Goff, it seems he’s picked up Telecom’s disease and the network has crashed.
    Our 3 News/Reid Research poll last night had Labour down one to 29 points. Labour is 27 points behind National, which sits on 56.
    If there’s anything positive for Goff and let me get this out of the way and say it now Labour’s core vote looks locked in.
    It’s around 30 percent, but that’s the only positive.

    Not a very good report from Duncan.
    • Armchair Critic 17.1

      22 February 2010 at 8:44 pm

      Yawn. This is last week’s news.
      Wanna talk about the poll on how much people are looking forward to their tax cuts?
      http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10627825
      Wanna speculate what will happen to the polls after the budget?
    • GFraser 17.2

      22 February 2010 at 10:26 pm

      For a political editor from one of our major Television news networks Garner is a disgrace.
      He is forever bringing these flim flam pieces out attacking Labour and Goff in particular, while all the time cabinet ministers are being shown up in the house.
      Every time Key is questioned in the House, he spends most of the time with smart arse replies, just like the class clown.
      IMHO Garner should be exposing this, as Keys performance is not befitting someone in his position.
18. Draco T Bastard 18

    23 February 2010 at 1:14 am

    Power Has To Answer For Human Rights Appointments

    “It is not unusual for Ministers to suggest nominees, but in this case it goes directly against the advice of the Chair of the Tribunal Royden Hindle. The papers note his view that “without interviews by an appropriately selected interview panel the process will not provide an opportunity to properly assess the candidates suitability and thus will fail to provide sufficient security that conflicts of interest and any other potentially adverse issues are identified.

    hmmmm…. Jobs for the boys. A massive case of favouritism and possible corruption.
    • gitmo 18.1

      23 February 2010 at 6:21 am

      Oh the irony, a press release from Labour decrying appointments to pointless QANGOS for party member and sycophants.
19. felix 19

    23 February 2010 at 2:05 am

    Interesting energy device on 60 minutes.

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