Party Central another Key fiasco

45 comments on “Party Central another Key fiasco ”

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1. burt 1

   13 July 2010 at 11:06 am

   Perhaps you could publish a time line from when the RWC being hosted in NZ was announced and the developments that have been started and completed since then.
   • Kevin Welsh 1.1

     13 July 2010 at 1:09 pm

     Or maybe you could do it yourself burt and post it in this message thread.
2. Pascal's bookie 2

   13 July 2010 at 11:10 am

   Perhaps Watkins might care to explain why she couldn’t name her sources for this.

   Seems pretty bloody obvious that they want to threaten Auckland with losing events, but aren’t prepared to go on the record about either doing so, or naming which events Wellington might get (which would be none that they wouldn’t be otherwise getting, it’s an empty threat).

   Fair enough for the pollie to try it on, but I’d like to know Watkin’s excuse for so blatantly letting them use her for their machinations. Machinations are fair play, and are political stories that journo’s should write about. They should try and avoid enabling them though, in my view.
3. Carol 3

   13 July 2010 at 11:14 am

   I say, let other centres have the RWC Party Central. I am one Aucklander that would be happy to see the government’s poor management of this taken elsewhere… then they will have to blame someone other than Aucklanders for the problems.
   • Draco T Bastard 3.1

     13 July 2010 at 1:01 pm

     Yep, I’d be happy for Wellington to have them as well.
4. Craig Glen Eden 4

   13 July 2010 at 12:51 pm

   Another John Key Smile and Wave at failure, oh for a real prime minister! How are ya shares going smile and wave?
   • Lanthanide 4.1

     13 July 2010 at 2:08 pm

     He doesn’t know, they’re in a blind trust, remember.
   • mark 4.2

     14 July 2010 at 9:09 pm

     actually Craig the failures Mike lees.
     hes made himself look a fool and shown thinking Aucklanders how much they need a super council.
     Well done Mike.
5. Irascible 5

   13 July 2010 at 12:54 pm

   Why not take the RWC to Vietnam or China to help international diplomacy? Is’nt that the current key NACT policy? The sooner the RWC is out of Auckland the better and the associated local and national debt it has run up is revealed the better for us all. NACT’s bread & circuses will soon hit home.
   • OleOlebiscuitBarrell 5.1

     13 July 2010 at 3:33 pm

     NACT’s bread & circuses will soon hit home.

     Seems like only, what, a year ago, Labour were taking the credit for Helen’s brilliant international diplomacy skills in getting us the RWC. Yet now, somehow, it’s NACT’s bread and circuses?
     • fraser 5.1.1

       13 July 2010 at 4:10 pm

       would you agree that getting the rights to an event and running said event are two completely different ball games?
       • OleOlebiscuitBarrell 5.1.1.1

         13 July 2010 at 4:24 pm

         The issue was characterising the thing as “NACT’s bread and circuses”. Like National and Act (why do the Maori party never feature in this coalition description?) put all of their energy into getting the World Cup so no-one would notice that they were screwing the workers, allowing whales to be killed and being mean to teachers.
         • fraser 5.1.1.1.1

           13 July 2010 at 4:56 pm

           “The issue was characterising the thing as “NACT’s bread and circuses”

           To me it seems that the complaints are centered on not that weve got the thing but how the thing (now that we have it) is being run and paid for.

           And since NACT took the reins after the election its has been a circus – the TV rights issue alone was a farce.

           not quite sure where your going with sentence number 2 however

           im quite happy to agree that the entirety of the RWC is an issue carried across both this and the last govt. (im on the “both teams suck” wagon at the mo’) – and yes the maori party dont seem to get added to the acronym for some reason
           • OleOlebiscuitBarrell 5.1.1.1.1.1

             13 July 2010 at 5:17 pm

             But you know, in its usual sense, “bread and circuses” is not a comment on whether something is being run in a circus-like fashion but is used to describe keeping the populace happy by pandering to their immediate, shallow requirements.
             • fraser …

               14 July 2010 at 8:27 am

               ahh righto – forgot that – sentence number 2 understood now 🙂
6. Gooner 6

   13 July 2010 at 1:01 pm

   Another example of the failure of central planning.
   • felix 6.1

     13 July 2010 at 1:06 pm

     Another example of the failure of right-wing morons who don’t understand effective central planning.

     You’re welcome.
   • Draco T Bastard 6.2

     13 July 2010 at 3:12 pm

     Coming from that bastion of central planning (ie, dictatorship) the NACT party.
     • loota 6.2.1

       13 July 2010 at 5:07 pm

       NACT is deliberately wrecking things so that Gooner can repeat his canned line with a straight face.
7. tc 7

   13 July 2010 at 1:31 pm

   Geez Sideshow must be loving this PM job thingy……unlike the corporate world where minutes get taken and accountability is likely the lapdogs in the msm simply let them get away with it time and again….aww shucks thanks NewZild.
8. Tracey 8

   13 July 2010 at 1:57 pm

   It’s an IRB term of the contract that ALL venues must provide a “fan zone”. It’s not about Auckland OR Wellington, it’s Auckland AND Wellington.

   Just why does key slip out of these things so easily?
   • ghostwhowalksnz 8.1

     13 July 2010 at 3:05 pm

     Yes thats right , there MUST be a ‘fan zone ‘ in Auckland and it MUST be in the CBD or very close by – Victoria Park may be marginal as a location
     • lprent 8.1.1

       13 July 2010 at 7:53 pm

       I’m standing by Victoria park waiting for the link. There seem to be a lot of roadworks. I think they’re still going to be worked on next year. Traffic noise is a bit loud as well.

       Not to mention a frigging big hill over to the cbd
       • lprent 8.1.1.1

         13 July 2010 at 7:56 pm

         I forgot to mention that it is pretty cold. Where is the damn bus?
9. Herodotus 9

   13 July 2010 at 2:11 pm

   The 2011 RWC is another example of people just wanting to get things done, when the govt gets involved the thing craps out.
   Remember how Mallard and co bullied Auck re the new stadium, now we have Jk trying to get his way on the event. In the end there will be a few games of ruggy played, there will be no party central (hopefully) and why would city businesses (also rate payers) want to waste money on increasing their competition in constructing a white elephant. As a lazy Jafa why would I want to go to party central when it is isolated and miles from anywhere. I would love to see any business case as to why, how etc the decision was made. In the end I hope that time will kill this idea and it can be buried along with the dodo.
10. OleOlebiscuitBarrell 10

    13 July 2010 at 2:45 pm

    What with all these disasters which can be lain squarely at the feet of John Key, his popularity must really be taking a hammering. Oh, hang on.

    You guys are really going to have to switch strategies from hoping the public “wakes up”. ‘Cause it just isn’t working.

    Edit: …and it’s getting really, really boring.
11. michaeljsavage 11

    13 July 2010 at 2:51 pm

    Why are we not approaching the many existing venues – bars etc to step up …. or is this yet another Key “cycleway” wet dream.

    Sounds to me like its another “this is why we have the supercity” setup
12. michaeljsavage 12

    13 July 2010 at 2:57 pm

    Problem is – these disasters cant be laid squarely at John Keys feet – and the public dont wake up. The disasters are buried in nonsense that most members of the public are not or never, privy to. We rely on the media (gee thats a good bet for truth).

    Truth is – people wake up to it too late.

    Have every venue with seats and a serving capability open and pumping …. assess the capacity and then addon from there.

    Why is it pollies always want a memorial to their greatness. Party Central …. bollocks – do something for the auckland economy – support local business
    • OleOlebiscuitBarrell 12.1

      13 July 2010 at 3:12 pm

      michaeljsavage,

      You are obviously not factoring in that, at the meeting Helen Clark attended, we promised the IRB a party central and, thus, it is part of the deal.
      • Carol 12.1.1

        13 July 2010 at 3:17 pm

        A central party is part of the deal, but not the particular one that Key/McCully were focused on at the waterfront and that they have not managed very carefully/well at all. The wharf idea for it came from Key.
      • Jim Nald 12.1.2

        13 July 2010 at 4:08 pm

        Right. So after having 20 months to sort this out since coming into Government, John Key and company have failed to make it happen and now would say we shouldn’t really have it.
        • OleOlebiscuitBarrell 12.1.2.1

          13 July 2010 at 5:26 pm

          Only that’s not what I was saying, Jim Nald. I was simply addressing michaeljsavage’s delusion that having a dedicated area for fans was something made up by John Key. (A “wet dream”, he called it).

          It’s not. It was in the proposal from the beginning. And the left crowed about how Helen singlehandedly got that proposal through (because of her brilliance on the international stage, love of freedom and oppressed people and all that).
          • Draco T Bastard 12.1.2.1.1

            13 July 2010 at 6:24 pm

            Run the spin so that it’s all Helens fault even though it’s not. I see. Obviously a C/T line.
        • joe bloggs 12.1.2.2

          13 July 2010 at 9:08 pm

          nup – the failure in this particular instance can be laid squarely at the feet of the ARC and that completely ineffectual clod Mike Lee.
          • loota 12.1.2.2.1

            13 July 2010 at 9:15 pm

            “the failure in this particular instance will be laid squarely at the feet of the ARC in order to give that completely ineffectual clod McCully desperately needed cover”

            Yep, fixed that for you.
13. michaeljsavage 13

    13 July 2010 at 3:22 pm

    biscuitbarrel – fair comment – no I didnt know that was part of the deal – but cant a compromise be stitched up that works better??

    Couldnt a consortium of branded existing businesses be an expression of the intent of such a deal.

    This isnt a labour / national issue – its us not looking like idiots to the rest of the world.

    I have doubts that Keys party central would be able to be housed on one wharf frankly.

    a master financier … he mucks up economic forums and now party planning.

    Perhaps he just lacks people skills – or maybe he is really just a paper results man – producing nothing of any tangible value.

    Like a lot of his ilk
14. michaeljsavage 14

    13 July 2010 at 3:28 pm

    Lets contract it out to china … they can lay the hard word on the parties causing the blockage such as the ARC – nothing like the threat of execution or a midnight trip to a detention centre to focus the mind – and they can institute systems of bribery for the contractors as well – sort of middle kingdom nepotism. Lucky our building codes will also allow structures to leak and fall down (till Kiwis get off their asses and protest) – Japan can subcontract Whalemeat so we can have “keyburgers” served to all patrons … we’ll all have a “whale of a time”

    Perhaps the prisons could be contracted out to Chinese Corporates as well??

    I think we are on to something here.
    • loota 14.1

      13 July 2010 at 6:30 pm

      I agree MJS. Most efficient would be if our prisons were outsourced to Chinese prisons. In China. Yes, it would mean a whole lot of NZ citizens (perps) would have to tolerate a sea journey to China, but actually you could also fly them over and still come out ahead because from then on the Chinese could look after each perp for about $6.50 a day.

      NZ would save hundreds of millions.
15. Tom 15

    13 July 2010 at 4:02 pm

    RNZ reports that the IRB contract requires the ‘fan zone’ to be available in the host city for the finals. So, does that mean moving the final to Wellington too? Unlikely. And more to the point, someone reminded me that it was none other than Rodney Hide who denied Auckland the $500m waterfront stadium and conference centre, for the sake of a cheap headline over rates. Can anyone remember this with any precision? The irony would be priceless. Like his super city costs.
16. michaeljsavage 16

    13 July 2010 at 4:08 pm

    Tom – i reckon the supercity is going to become the biggest, most costly white elephant in NZ history since the John Key economic forum or even prior to that …

    You’ll see them all duck for cover next year when it all turns to murky brown solids and liquid mix.

    It will be a votekiller for National – if anyone has any sense around NZ -they will see that this is not going to be the only local Govt change …. beware Local Govt has remained one of the few conduits for Kiwis to express themselves and muddle around with things like “common humanity” and other outmoded concepts.
17. kirk 17

    13 July 2010 at 7:11 pm

    MJS: You are right, but the average kiwi does not necessarily read this blog – just other politically conscious addicts like the National Party Research Unit.
18. Rharn 18

    13 July 2010 at 7:31 pm

    Are Sarah Palin and John Key long lost twins?
19. michaeljsavage 19

    13 July 2010 at 8:05 pm

    Rharn … well it would appear that someone has a longstanding relationship with a moose.

    Guess who
20. Bunji 20

    16 July 2010 at 2:46 am

    Can we refer to it as Hangover Central in future please?

    Because I believe that’s what it’s become.

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1. The Standard: posted on 12 July 2010 at 10:58 pm

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