Ralston Attempts Hijack of Radio NZ SuperCity Debate

Written By: - Date published: 1:57 pm, September 13th, 2010 - 36 comments
Categories: auckland supercity, john banks, len brown, spin - Tags:

In the lecture theatre that the Radio NZ SuperCity debate was held this morning Len Brown clearly and easily won – but how did it appear on radio?

Bill Ralston and his coterie did his best to even up the perceptions.  The front row had the “Panel” of Todd Niall (RNZ Auckland Issues reporter) and David Wilson (AUT Public Policy expert); the second row was for VIPs.  Bill had brought a group along with him early and with his VIP invite sat immediately behind the Panel and their microphones.  Result: loud cheering from Bill & co for Banks and most of the audience cheering for Brown no doubt getting similar levels of noise on the radio.  This was the “front row” that Len Brown was referring to during the debate.

Even then Banks tried to take credit for some of Len’s applause – generating much laughter from the audience.

From inside there was an entertaining debate with Brown as a clear winner, going by audience appreciation; Banks repeated his clichés – ‘affordable progress’ drew groans every time, and ‘can-do council’ eyeball-rolling; and Andrew Williams spoke well again – he seems good on the hustings, if lacking in supporters.

From outside things were somewhat more muddled.  Audience noise clouded good political hits.  And Radio NZ does need to institute a station-wide policy of naming their guests more often.  Having 3 short white middle-aged experienced political men competing it’s not always so easy to distinguish them – in person Brown stands out as lighter on weight and hair, but the radio audience fails to get that.  Indeed Brown spoke of diversity being Auckland’s point of difference, but one wouldn’t have got that from looking at the candidates or the audience – hopefully under his mayoralty we could encourage more participation from the whole of Auckland, rather than just the elite.

Because the elite is where the right like to keep it.  They will never win if everyone became engaged in democracy.  So they push the talk about who will be best able to talk to the government – the John Banks in their pocket or someone more independent of them.  This fails to take account of the fact that with 1/3 of the population, whoever the government is, they’ll have to talk to Auckland.  Lose Auckland like they lost Christchurch over the ECan sacking and they’ll lose government.

But overall still too little policy and vision.  John Banks won’t build the airport train link that every other major city has and is so badly needed.  They’ll all borrow from the future to pay for Auckland’s past lack of infrastructure spending.  Social policy is at least on Len Brown’s agenda.  There was nothing on interaction with Local Boards, which Len Brown supports giving more power to in the interests of real democracy, and John Banks is very silent over.  They all support the inner-city loop, so that might at least happen; the 2nd harbour crossing might get postponed until crisis time under Banks, but all 3 want it.

So it’ll partly come down to who do you trust?  Banks with his history of re-sanding beaches over giving the poorer areas any development, Ralston spinning his appearances and repetitive soundbites and WhaleOil as his chief bully-boy; or Brown who oversaw vastly superior economic growth in Manukau whilst maintaining greater levels of social programs to ensure that fewer were actually left behind?

If you’re in Auckland: just make sure you and your neighbours and friends vote.

36 comments on “Ralston Attempts Hijack of Radio NZ SuperCity Debate ”

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  1. hurr 1
    13 September 2010 at 2:11 pm

    if you didnt listen to it the link for the entire debate is here

    http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/20100913

  2. Uroskin 2
    13 September 2010 at 2:38 pm

    David Beatson has an Auckland mayoral candidate debate tonight (13 Sep 8pm Triangle TV Auckland) and repeated tomorrow (14 Sep 7.30pm Stratos TV Freeview satellite) with Andrew Williams, Len Brown, Colin Craig and Simon Prast.
    Banks declined to attend.

    • prism 2.1
      13 September 2010 at 3:03 pm

      Banks must be very busy speaking elsewhere to turn down such a valuable chance to strut his stuff. But then perhaps Bank was afraid of too much healthy sunlight. Leads to sunburn and feeling hot, sweaty and uncomfortable.

  3. tea 3
    13 September 2010 at 2:39 pm

    When did Ralston become such a bitch? I liked backch@t

  4. Carol 4
    13 September 2010 at 2:41 pm

    Thanks for the background on the live event. But, in spite of Ralston et al’s attempts, it still sounded to me on the radio that Brown got the best and most favourable audience response.

    Agree on your analysis of the lack of diversity in the candidates, and limited focus on issues the community really is interested in.

  5. tc 5
    13 September 2010 at 2:43 pm

    When he accepted frasers offer to be chief TVNZ news Whore he was required to undergo bitch development……little did they know he already had a masters in it.

  6. Jum 6
    13 September 2010 at 3:08 pm

    Heard the chattering classes of Ralston. It was a little obvious when you considered what they were clapping; Banks’ thoughtful and original answers – LOL.

    I was interested to hear about Williams’ export experience. I could certainly see Len Brown as Mayor and Andrew Williams as his deputy. Both have good records in their areas and could prove their promise to be inclusive and work as a team.

    Banks? Put him on the door of Council as bouncer and the next time Penny Bright comes to call to defend one of the Aucklanders in danger of having their house sold because they hadn’t paid a water bill which was incorrect anyway, yet Bright (Mayoral hopeful) was thrown out by Banks without any chance to plead their rightful case, under urgency; watch him try to throw her out then. She and her supporters will give him a right drubbing.

    Penny Bright, as official Public Watchdog, especially in relation to the safety of our water and water infrastructure, would be a useful addition to Council on the Water CCO.

    • Uroskin 6.1
      13 September 2010 at 4:42 pm

      Williams was an excellent Trade Commissioner for Belgium and Luxembourg. I remember fondly the mini tennis court he set up in Vulcan Lane outside the Occidental Belgian Cafe when the first Wimbledon semi-final between two Belgian players, Justine Henin and Kim Clijsters, happened in 2006 – all to promote Belgian beer!
      I somehow can’t see neither Banks nor Brown do something fun like that.

      Disclaimer: I’m from Belgium.

  7. comedy 7
    13 September 2010 at 4:16 pm

    “I could certainly see Len Brown as Mayor and Andrew Williams as his deputy”

    Only if you’ve been taking hallucinogens – Williams is a fucking nutjob.

    • lprent 7.1
      13 September 2010 at 4:28 pm

      Williams is a fucking nutjob.

      Compared to John Banks? Banks has managed to claim that title for his entire political career. At the worst possible interpretation (ie Whales) Williams would be a mere nutter by comparison.

      I remember John Banks as the most idiotic Police Minister amongst a sterling crowd of them. A raving dysfunctional lunatic during his first term as Mayor. Hell he even makes the short political history of Cameron Slater look sane.

      • Lanthanide 7.1.1
        13 September 2010 at 5:50 pm

        I don’t really know much about John Bank’s history at all. What do you think he is such a loon?

      • comedy 7.1.2
        13 September 2010 at 6:11 pm

        Williams makes Banks look positively mainstream and normal – he’s very very odd, sort of like an unholy love child of Tim Shadbolt and Michael Laws

        • the sprout 7.1.2.1
          13 September 2010 at 8:52 pm

          none is more truly odd than Banks. a deeply damaged person.

        • RobertM 7.1.2.2
          13 September 2010 at 9:33 pm

          The standard of mayoral candidates is so low, that Metro a useful publication is wasting its time and circulation covering the campaign. No one would waste time reading about them. But to suggest that Williams is in the same class of hunch backed depravity as that twisted Waitaki Boys high oldboy Micheal Laws. There are two features of Laws three hours of cynicism and hate in the mornings. First Laws refuses to take any calls on Nazis for the simple reason that he is fundamentally a supporter. Laws general policy is pure Nazi steralize the mentally ill, prostitutes and unemployed anybody he disagrees with. The first Nazi step in l933 was to lock down the hard red suburbs of Berlin and begin to steralise the proletariat. The Nazis had no support among the working class or unemployed. It cost money to be a Nazi, the uniforms were very expensive and you had to pay to attend any meeting. It was just like Act. Hitler did not try to attract the votes of the unemployed, every Hitler speech between 1930-33 was a relentless attack of the unemployed as bludgers. That is the real truth.
          The second Law law lie is that homosexual and gay are naturally oriented that way.
          And have no interest in woman. The truth is most are bisexual. Even Bruce Chatwin, Marpelthorpe and Christopher Hitchens had many affairs and sex with many beautiful women. Neither is there any truth that most gays and bis are converting to homoism. The truth is more likely to be the other way.Most return to being hetro. That is the evidence in California and Australia and probably anywhere in the universe outside K road.
          Laws is such a bit of despicable cowardly perverted trash that it is indescribable.What a hopeless little country this is, when the cynical party mangers put up idiots like Brown and Banks.

        • bbfloyd 7.1.2.3
          14 September 2010 at 2:28 pm

          C… which cave have you been squatting in for the last thirty years? bank’s record of idiocy stretches back to his first days in parliament. all you have to go on regarding williams is a banks sponsored smear campaign. don’t you have the wit to realise what a fool you look using nonsense arguments like this?

    • Bunji 7.2
      13 September 2010 at 4:37 pm

      Our government may lack its famed so-called “aspirational” mindset in deciding Auckland can’t afford a Commonwealth Games, but only one mayoral candidate is mad enough to think we could go Olympic…

      • comedy 7.2.1
        13 September 2010 at 6:13 pm

        And another is running on a P ticket – oh joy for such high calibre loons to choose from !

        Can’t really say I’m motivated to vote for any of them ….. and I suspect those standing for council/community boards will be just as bad.

        • Bunji 7.2.1.1
          13 September 2010 at 6:32 pm

          You are a cynical soul aren’t you? Nobody ever works for the good of the people, do they?

          I know too many good people working for society’s benefit in the political system to share your lack of faith…

          • comedy 7.2.1.1.1
            13 September 2010 at 7:13 pm

            And I know too many examples of troughing egotists, loonies, political ideologues and nepotists amongst the elected representatives to share in your faith, I’m sure there are good people but I believe they are in the minority.

            • nzfp 7.2.1.1.1.1
              13 September 2010 at 8:55 pm

              “I’m sure there are good people but I believe they are in the minority” – Then get active and get in there man – local government body elections coming up!!!

  8. ghostwhowalksnz 8
    13 September 2010 at 5:55 pm

    If they build an ‘airport train link’ Ill be one of those lying down in front of the bulldozers to stop it

  9. Jum 9
    13 September 2010 at 8:20 pm

    Liar Comedy,

    You’re just trying to turn everyone off all candidates except Banks, which you intend to vote for – you Crosby and Textor stooge, you.

  10. Jum 10
    13 September 2010 at 9:16 pm

    Stop telling me I’m on hallucinogens and I’ll stop calling you a liar, nutjob.

    • comedy 10.1
      13 September 2010 at 9:26 pm

      My bad – if you’re not on hallucinogens it must just be that you’re retarded………. or drunk …. FFS YOU ARE ANDREW WILLIAMS !!!

  11. Jum 11
    13 September 2010 at 9:19 pm

    PS, Comedy, I’ll put you on the Right Wing Tantrums thread if you don’t behave yourself.

    • comedy 11.1
      13 September 2010 at 9:28 pm

      Yes I’m so right wing ………. well not really at all in fact unless you use the DTB definition.

      • felix 11.1.1
        13 September 2010 at 9:38 pm

        Oh, there are tell-tale signs. Like the way you hold politicians in contempt; the left wing ones you deride as fuckwit lefties and the right wing ones as fuckwit politicians.

        It’s far more transparent than you seem to think it is.

        • comedy 11.1.1.1
          14 September 2010 at 8:06 am

          Oh noes oh noes – I believe in publicly funded healthcare, publicly funded education etc etc but I am a right wing nut job because according to Felix….

          “Like the way you hold politicians in contempt; the left wing ones you deride as fuckwit lefties and the right wing ones as fuckwit politicians.”

          No wonder we get the same old party political bullshit in central and local governments …….. yous isn’t on my team so yous must be on their team …….. fuckwit

  12. BLiP 12
    13 September 2010 at 11:37 pm

    I’m relatively heartened by this report of the debate . . . it indicates certain sweaty desperation when the Right bring out their bully boys to barrack from the front row.

  13. randal 13
    14 September 2010 at 11:56 am

    bill ralston is a manque and a parvenu.
    his bullying qualities are usually well hidden behind his hail fellow well met persona but underneath he is just another grubbing stock jobber.

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