The Key magic

Written By: - Date published: 7:17 am, March 27th, 2015 - 98 comments
Categories: brand key, by-election, john key, Steven Joyce - Tags: ,

If National lose in Northland (and despite the polls I still find it hard to believe that a party machine that well resourced and that desperate can be beaten) then the main casualty will be the myth of the “Key magic”. John Armstrong still believes in it:

Key magic will struggle to stop Peters juggernaut
…
The Prime Minister returns from Japan today and will head north to campaign for Osborne. But it is difficult to envisage how the John Key magic can turn this byelection around with just two days to go.

But it seems that the people of Northland do not:

John Key heckled in Northland

Prime Minister John Key has headed straight to Dargaville today after returning from Japan, only to be heckled by Northland by-election voters.

Radio New Zealand reporter Benedict Collins, in Northland, said Mr Key was heckled during a 20 minute walk along the street meeting locals, and was shown placards saying ‘Vote Winston’.

One woman said, “Don’t bother talking to me. I’ve already voted, I voted for Winston Peters … because we’ve been neglected here for the last 37 years.” …

The well informed Selwyn Manning has an interesting discussion of the fractures and factions appearing within National as the buy election exposes their weaknesses.

McCullum’s power-base is Northland. And Collins loyalists bided their time and blocked him from getting his way during the National Party Northland candidacy selections. The most Machiavellian of them suggest a loss in Northland will diminish Steven Joyce’s power, create instability for the leader John Key, and demonstrate that they cannot control the party outside of Wellington.

In simple terms, National is demonstrating third term disconnect, division among its factions, and pomposity and arrogance – something the newly re-elected Prime Minister John Key warned his party about in his post-election speeches.
…
The National Party insiders say there are “many questions” circulating among the Nats, including:
(a) John Key’s judgment and credibility after the 2014 win particularly his promotion of former MP Mike Sabin to chair the Law and Order Select Committee.
(b) Joyce’s “diabolical mismanagement of the Northland by-election campaign”.

Regarding Joyce: “There are really brutal comments flowing from some quarters.”

Plenty more in the full piece at Evening Report. If National do lose it’s going to be an interesting time for Nat-watchers.

98 comments on “The Key magic ”

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  1. tc 1
    27 March 2015 at 7:51 am

    The magic of John key is a media construct comprised of Dirty Politics and an MSM who don’t ask the tough questions and accept any BS he dishes up with a ‘gosh thanks herr leader we are not worthy of you’.

    The magic is all dark magic at best honed in the offshore lands of money trading and assets stripping till he decided to buy his way into a safe seat.

    • Draco T Bastard 1.1
      27 March 2015 at 11:04 am

      It’s not so much that the MSM don’t ask the tough questions but that they actively prop up National.

      • tc 1.1.1
        27 March 2015 at 1:52 pm

        by not asking any tough questions and fawning all over them as if they’re demigods.

        tough questions that demand answers on any number of issues ever since JPK showed up would’ve shown him to be a carpetbagger of the highest calibre.

        tranzrail shares, SFC, I’d love to see wages drop, I will not raise GST, no frontline cuts, I never spoke to Ian Fletcher, I have no knowledge of (insert issue here) etc etc and then there’s Blip’s awesome bibliography of BS.

      • Saarbo 1.1.2
        27 March 2015 at 8:36 pm

        Absolutely 100%, think: Trevatt, Armstrong, Gower, TV3 News, NZH, Watkins…

  2. weka 2
    27 March 2015 at 8:44 am

    “(and despite the polls I still find it hard to believe that a party machine that well resourced and that desperate can be beaten)”

    This is an aside, but the implications there are that might is what determines election outcomes rather than the shift in voting patterns. Isn’t the point of the Northland election that National might have misunderstood what people want? No amount of door knocking or leaflet dropping can overcome that surely?

    • felix 2.1
      27 March 2015 at 9:31 am

      I agree. In fact I’ll go further and say that if people in northland know what the nats have been covering up, and have seen the bullying and the bribery, blue shirts on the doorstep may well turn more people against them.

      • Macro 2.1.1
        27 March 2015 at 3:51 pm

        I’m sure that is the reason. There can be few people left in Northland who don’t know (or do not have have a damn good idea) what this corrupt administration have been trying to hide. Only the true blues could possibly hold their noses and vote Obsourne. It is hard to believe that Key did not know, in fact it is so hard to believe that it is truly unbelievable; and that goes for, you know who’s bestest Osbourne as well.
        Nationalites shat in their own nest – and the stench has driven people with any sense of justice and moral decency away; and serve them right.

  3. fisiani 3
    27 March 2015 at 9:26 am

    Really enjoyable spoof post. One lone heckler equals the end of the “Key magic” Yeah Right.
    Stephen Joyce has run an amazing campaign in difficult circumstances. Diabolical is ludicrous. We will find out tomorrow how well he has done.
    You forgot to add the humour tag! Some might think the author is serious.

    • Hateatea 3.1
      27 March 2015 at 9:30 am

      Congratulations, fisiani. You actually posted a comment without saying ‘Honest John’. I live in hope that you might actually post something that shows some critical thinking regarding the flaws in NACTS activities current and past but I am not holding my breath.

      • alwyn 3.1.1
        27 March 2015 at 10:51 am

        “but I am not holding my breath”.
        Come on, do the country a favour and try it.
        Perhaps you’ll turn blue in the face, see the light and join the National Party?

      • fisiani 3.1.2
        27 March 2015 at 10:54 am

        Correct. I waited for you to acknowledge he was Honest John

        • Hateatea 3.1.2.1
          27 March 2015 at 10:57 am

          Same answer as I am giving Alwyn – hell will freeze over first. I don’t think he known how to be honest anymore, if he ever did.

          You are orshipping a false idol.

        • KJT 3.1.2.2
          27 March 2015 at 3:11 pm

          Being satirical again?

          Fizzer

      • Murray Rawshark 3.1.3
        27 March 2015 at 8:24 pm

        Fizzy has transferred his loyalty to Stephen Joyce.

    • Skinny 3.2
      27 March 2015 at 9:38 am

      I think you mean Joyce has run an amazing campaign for Winston Peters. If not then it’s the worst campaign I’ve seen by the snake oil salesman, granted he is up against a very tricky lawyer.

    • Draco T Bastard 3.3
      27 March 2015 at 11:06 am

      Diabolical is ludicrous.

      No. Diabolical* is the normal National position. It’s why you’re always on here defending Key’s lies.

      * I’m not sure if you understand the root for diabolical.

    • Tracey 3.4
      27 March 2015 at 1:04 pm

      They would heckle Osbourne but he doesn’t seem to have any visibility.

    • NZSage 3.5
      27 March 2015 at 2:34 pm

      I suspect the announcement of the Northland buy election result will coincide very nicely with fisiani’s hibernation date.

      It will be a long hard winter for him… poor guy.

    • Tom 3.6
      27 March 2015 at 5:51 pm

      fisiani are you for real. You must be one of the wealthy 10% who are very greedy and have no intention of sharing the wealth. Or maybe your just a one eyed WASP’y Nats supporter. What ever it is I feel sorry for you, until you understand that sharing and helping people less fortunate that yourself is the only way to run a country. This all right jack thinking has bought this country to its knees. Wake Up.!!

    • billy fish 3.7
      27 March 2015 at 8:41 pm

      Yes so true.
      Mr Joyce is double plus good and isn’t it great the chocolate ration has been increased

  4. felix 4
    27 March 2015 at 9:33 am

    I noted the other day that rather than the “Key magic” rubbing off on Osborne, we might just see the “Joyce-puppet KDC lookalike loser magic” rubbing off on Key.

    • Tracey 4.1
      27 March 2015 at 1:06 pm

      It does appear to be a major admission (this by-election strategy) that Osbourne is irrelevant and the National Party is nothing more than John Key. Sure it has been this way for awhile but now they make no attempt to pretend that anyone else matters.

  5. saveNZ 5
    27 March 2015 at 9:41 am

    The problem is that Key and Joyce are arrogant control freaks, maintaining control by putting in vegetable National MP’s they can manipulate. Key is probably still trying to get Slater back on his dog leash. The wheels are starting to come off, on Team Key.

  6. gsays 6
    27 March 2015 at 9:53 am

    hi all, is that you skinny, giving our dear leader a hard time.
    tsk tsk.

  7. ianmac 7
    27 March 2015 at 9:54 am

    After the last Election friends who are Nat supporters were jubilant over their “landslide victory.” I expect that they might realise just how fragile that victory was/is.

  8. vto 8
    27 March 2015 at 10:05 am

    “magic” is a good way of describing key….. synonyms of which include….

    : sorcery, witchcraft, wizardry, necromancy, enchantment, spellworking, incantation, the supernatural, occultism, the occult, black magic, the black arts, devilry, divination, malediction, voodoo, hoodoo, sympathetic magic, white magic, witching, witchery; charm, hex, spell, jinx; mojo, orenda; makutu; informalmuti; raresortilege, thaumaturgy, theurgy

    Not good things

    • Colonial Rawshark 8.1
      27 March 2015 at 1:39 pm

      But very effective

      And the literal rational intellectual left cannot easily counter it. It requires another wizard – Winston – to make the impact.

  9. Ben Clark 9
    27 March 2015 at 10:16 am

    Is “buy election” a typo or a freudian slip?

  10. esoteric pineapples 10
    27 March 2015 at 11:06 am

    The litmus test of how loved John key actually is, will come after he quits politics and we see how people greet him in the street, restaurants, etc. I don’t think he will ever get a genuinely warm welcome in the way that Helen Clark does, for instance. He will have his place in history, but he will not be looked back on with great affection.

    • fisiani 10.1
      27 March 2015 at 11:22 am

      Have a look at the polling post nearby showing the blue line hovering near 50% since Honest John became Leader and the red line near 30% no matter who leads Labour. You are delusional. After 6 terms in office John Key (18 years) when he retires he will still get the warmest welcome of any Prime Minister in over 30 years.

      • Pasupial 10.1.1
        27 March 2015 at 11:42 am

        Blow it out of your fizzy anus.

        • fisiani 10.1.1.1
          27 March 2015 at 11:15 pm

          What we’re not prepared to accept are pointless personal attacks, or tone or language that has the effect of excluding others.

          My handle is fisiani.

          • joe90 10.1.1.1.1
            27 March 2015 at 11:26 pm

            My handle is fisiani.

            echoes….

            https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CBEYA0bUwAALE6h.jpg:large

          • Pasupial 10.1.1.1.2
            27 March 2015 at 11:38 pm

            fisiani

            There was a very clear point to my statement, though I appreciate that you are mentally unequipped to understand anything that doesn’t conform to your prejudices. So in your own words; “You are delusional”.

            If you are having trouble accepting the robust standard of debate here from those who are heartily sick of your gaslighting bullshit, then you are free to fuck off elsewhere.

            • fisiani 10.1.1.1.2.1
              27 March 2015 at 11:58 pm

              What we’re not prepared to accept are pointless personal attacks, or tone or language that has the effect of excluding others.

              • Pasupial …
                28 March 2015 at 12:17 am

                fisiani the repetitive

                How do you even manage to type? When you so obviously have your fingers shoved in your ears while chanting “lalalalala” to block out anything that might disturb your fine opinion of yourself.

                Dishonest John the shonky sociopath may one day speak a lie directly to your face one day – if you’re a lucky wee underbridge dweller. You don’t have an ounce of his facile glibness, all your own lies just feel so painfully rehearsed. I can’t even be bothered thinking of anything original to say to you anymore:

                “Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries.”

      • vto 10.1.2
        27 March 2015 at 12:10 pm

        just like muldoon

        dishonest john is just another Muldoon and will be regarded the same by history

        • tc 10.1.2.1
          27 March 2015 at 1:54 pm

          muldoon at least built stuff, key’s just asset stripped and put our soverignty, laws, priavcy, soldiers lives etc up for sale

      • DoublePlusGood 10.1.3
        27 March 2015 at 1:49 pm

        How the hell would John Key stay out of prison for another 9 years?

    • Stuart Munro 10.2
      27 March 2015 at 11:49 am

      The litmus test will be after he has been hanged and burned, and his ashes cast into the sea, how many New Zealanders will weep, that do not weep for joy.

      • thechangeling 10.2.1
        27 March 2015 at 4:13 pm

        “that will not weep for joy(ce)” lol.

        • Stuart Munro 10.2.1.1
          27 March 2015 at 5:24 pm

          It’ll be gravy for Joyce – there’s nothing else in that shambling pack of ambulant dog tucker that could even begin to lead a credible opposition.

    • Weepus beard 10.3
      27 March 2015 at 11:46 pm

      He’ll be known as the most divisive and polarising of PMs New Zealand has ever known.

  11. Enough is Enough 11
    27 March 2015 at 11:30 am

    John Key has always been heckled. From the day he was elected the 50%+ of the electorate that despise him have stood up to him and let him know about it.

    Winston will win by a landslide.

    Every true lefty who in Northland must vote Winston this week. It is the only way of ensuring that National cannot ram though further draconian laws in this term.

    VOTE WINSTON.

  12. Adrian 12
    27 March 2015 at 11:48 am

    One of the surprising characteristics of a sociopath ( according to a study of financial market traders done by a Swiss University, Basel I think, they were comparing FMTs to sociopaths ) was that 50% of people could spot them and 50% couldn’t, but given another type of sociopath the 50% ratio stayed the same but the mix of spotters was quite different.
    There’s Keys popularity explained possibly.
    BTW, sociopaths needed about 4 of 10 or so traits to be considered as such, financial market traders averaged 7 to 8 traits.

    • saveNZ 12.1
      27 March 2015 at 11:51 am

      So true.

    • Colonial Rawshark 12.2
      27 March 2015 at 11:54 am

      Both National and Labour have created and entrenched an economic environment which disproportionately rewards sociopathic behaviour. Neither are willing to reverse it, perhaps tinker a bit with it around the edges.

      • Draco T Bastard 12.2.1
        27 March 2015 at 12:03 pm

        The move to a rentier society and then collapse seems to be the innate track of capitalistic societies. And, no, the ‘rulers’ won’t change the direction even when it becomes obvious that the path that they’ve set us upon is the path to disaster.

      • Skinny 12.2.2
        27 March 2015 at 12:08 pm

        Yes backed up by the NL ACT candidate telling me the other day that the party see’s Labour as a future coalition partner. Little wonder they think this way when you critique some of the LP MP’s and the last intake of candidates. They are realistic ‘not under Little.’

        • Colonial Rawshark 12.2.2.1
          27 March 2015 at 12:54 pm

          The Anderson’s Bay Peninsula Branch of the Labour Party (Dunedin South) will be voting on a formal denounciation and renounciation of neoliberalism at its AGM this weekend.

          Someone in Labour has to.

          • Skinny 12.2.2.1.1
            27 March 2015 at 1:09 pm

            Bloody good stuff cobbah you should flick me a copy we can do the same thru our LEC. Say hi the brother Jim Kelly.
            How honoured I feel, just got an invite to the grey fox election gig and a big thanks for pulling in votes from our network. Its all about building bridges and it starts in Northland, ‘coalition bridges that is’ cheers Stephen Joyce & John Key we couldn’t have done it without your bridge building skills 🙂

      • thechangeling 12.2.3
        27 March 2015 at 4:15 pm

        Correct. It’s most often referred to as neo-liberalism with a corrupt, cronyist twist.

  13. Pasupial 13
    27 March 2015 at 11:54 am

    Gordon Campbell has a good point on the disadvantages of; Shon Key neglecting his Prime Ministerial duties, to scurry back to Northland and shove his hand up muppet Osbourne’s ass:

    Supposedly, New Zealand’s destiny lies in Asia… OK. So, if that’s the case why didn’t Prime Minister John Key – who was already in South Korea – stay in the region so that he could attend the state funeral on Sunday of Singapore’s founding leader Lee Kuan Yew?… Key has put the domestic interests of his party ahead of New Zealand’s wider interests on the world stage.

    Its not as if Asia won’t notice that New Zealand will have no senior government figure present. The Singapore Straits Times has already begun totting up the heads of state set at attend…

    in the circumstances, putting the Northland by election ahead of attendance at his funeral is a slight on Singapore, and will do nothing to advance New Zealand’s claim that it has a serious commitment to Asia. Of all people, Key should have realised that going to Lee Kuan Yew’s state funeral is the price of being in the club.

    http://gordoncampbell.scoop.co.nz/2015/03/27/gordon-campbell-on-a-funeral-in-asia-and-northland/

    • Colonial Rawshark 13.1
      27 March 2015 at 11:57 am

      SE Asian governments have had plenty of time to get the measure of Key and his Cabinet. His snubbing of Singapore over a panic about a by-election will merely confirm their long held assessments.

    • Karen 13.2
      27 March 2015 at 12:59 pm

      Even Audrey Young is criticising key for this on her twitter feed (sorry, can’t link for some unknown reason)

    • rhinocrates 13.3
      27 March 2015 at 9:10 pm

      shove his hand up muppet Osbourne’s ass

      That would explain the squint.

  14. Adrian 14
    27 March 2015 at 1:46 pm

    On Sunday Key is in Melbourne, as 12th man, of course. You know they couldn’t have done it without him, just as the ABs and every other NZ team have found him to be indespensible when it comes to the big games.
    When we win I’ll bet he takes to the field.
    He’s such a pathetic try-hard.

    • Skinny 14.1
      27 March 2015 at 2:47 pm

      He is throwing Osborne under Winston’s bus by taking off on Saturday and not sticking around. He reminds me of the Italian cruise ship captain who abandoned his sinking ship.

      Literally putting some distance between Joyce and himself, Judith Collins smile will be just as wide as Peters if he wins on the night 🙂

  15. Brewer 15
    27 March 2015 at 2:44 pm

    Bad week for National:

    Brazil has demanded an explanation from New Zealand after reports New Zealand’s foreign intelligence agency the GCSB spied on its campaign to get Brazilian diplomat Roberto Azevedo elected as Secretary General of the World Trade Organisation in 2013

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11424168

    • ianmac 15.1
      27 March 2015 at 3:41 pm

      Note that McCully dismisses the issue as just journalist talk. He said,
      “”If foreign governments want to raise issues about the assumptions being made by journalists we will respond. We will do this in private rather than through the news media.”
      Clearly this is a totally unimportant issue to this Government. Ha!

    • Murray Rawshark 15.2
      27 March 2015 at 8:47 pm

      It’s been on the news in Brazil. Seems they’re not happy.

  16. Alan W 16
    27 March 2015 at 3:44 pm

    Why all the gloating?
    How can this aid formation of a Labour lead government at the next general election?
    Assuming Winston wins, NZ first continues to roll along and maybe increases its share of the party vote.
    Winston holds the balance of power at the next general election.
    We all know that there is mutual loathing between NZ First and the Greens; they will not form a government with each other.
    National cosies up to NZ First, Labour still in opposition.
    Yes?
    No?

    • ianmac 16.1
      27 March 2015 at 5:41 pm

      Simple Allan. A tall poppy who was tall under false pretences is crumbling. Hooray!

    • marty mars 16.2
      27 March 2015 at 6:32 pm

      + 1 Alan

      Winston winning, which I hope he does, doesn’t bode well for labour imo. I think some have confused tactics with strategy. All this will do is increase the ability of NZF and diminish labour. Sad to see so many think the gnat lapdogs will grow some spine and oppose their gnat benefactors – come the next election they will do what they’ve done previously and go for the babbles – and notwithstanding some grandstanding it will pretty much be business as usual till then.

      • Skinny 16.2.1
        27 March 2015 at 8:15 pm

        Cut it out mate let’s take one street battle at a time in this war. We need a win, runs on the board. With respect who is to say Peters won’t be pushing daisies by the time of the next election. Labour just have too rid the deadwood and sort their policy platform the leader is not a worry next time around.

        • marty mars 16.2.1.1
          27 March 2015 at 8:46 pm

          Sure labour needs a win – guess what it will be winstons win on saturday not labours or the lefts. and lol to your last sentence.

          • Murray Rawshark 16.2.1.1.1
            27 March 2015 at 8:52 pm

            It’ll be NAct’s loss. That’s the best that was on offer at the moment. I’ll take it.

            • marty mars 16.2.1.1.1.1
              27 March 2015 at 9:01 pm

              Yep well I’ll shut up about it now – I also want a gnat loss and I’m not labour so whatever they do or think I’ll leave them to it. My warnings have fallen on deaf ears.

              • Macro …
                27 March 2015 at 9:14 pm

                Yeah. I’m afraid Labour have cloth ears for the strugglers in NZ society. 🙁
                Too many vested interests in protecting the stuff-ups they did in the past. What they did in the 80’s and 2000’s may have been with the best of intentions, but it was to the detriment of those at the bottom, and that is never good policy.
                Frankly i don’t see any hope of a change until the “middle class” wake up to the fact they are being well shafted as well. This is going to take some time. Now we have the situation that to make ends meet, both spouses must work full time, and children spend all day in day care. Something that we in the 50’s and 60’s used to point derisively at happening in the USSR!
                Globalisation and “free trade” all sound wonderful, but they have had the effect of importing lower labour standards and pay into our country, and we (Labour in particular!) still haven’t learnt!

                • marty mars …
                  27 March 2015 at 9:28 pm

                  + 1 Yep spot on Macro. I think the middle class will only wake up when it is all far too late – especially since the 2 major parties love spinning them lines about how it is all going to get better tomorrow. I remember computers coming in and the great ideal of more spare time – just ended up taking the laptop home and working more hours and this ‘unintended consequences’ outcome is rife throughout our society. We still haven’t learnt because the pain of realising that WE are the problem is too hard to accept – much better to listen to liarjohn and pretend.

                  to change will take revolution not evolution methinks

                  • Macro …
                    27 March 2015 at 9:34 pm

                    Yes Marty and the other factor is that with both working full time (and longer and longer hours because of increasing work demands) and then having to give quality time to the kids and drive them all over the country for swimming, dancing, etc. Parents have no time to actually sit down and think just what it is that is happening to them. Many have never lived in a pre-neo-liberal economy and have no understanding of what life might be like if they didn’t have all the whiz bang things the TV tells them to buy.

                    • marty mars …
                      27 March 2015 at 9:46 pm

                      So true and sadly i feel that it is deliberately created for us by others. I really feel despair for people caught up in having, absolutely having, to work their guts out just to stay still, just to tread water and keep it out of their mouths – it is an absolute disgrace and indictment on our society and the manifestation of the gross inequality felt by so many.

                      There is no time to think for many people, just a desperate movement to keep everything going. I’m lucky in some ways in that where I live other values come to the fore for many – but there is no glamour in being poor – it is still bloody hard work 🙂

              • Murray Rawshark …
                27 March 2015 at 10:35 pm

                That’s two of us who aren’t Labour. We have two and a half years to build something before the next general election. In the meantime, Winnie could slow Key down a bit. Labour doesn’t seem to want to.

            • Skinny 16.2.1.1.1.2
              27 March 2015 at 9:20 pm

              +1 Murray
              The effect of the Nat’s getting dealt too will wake the fuck up plenty of other regions outside of Jaffa city and Christchurch, from the trance of Teflon John. Hopefully Peters wins and then the shit sticks to the slippery prick.

  17. Once was Tim 17
    27 March 2015 at 4:36 pm

    “In simple terms, National is demonstrating third term disconnect, division among its factions, and pomposity and arrogance……”

    Took ’em a long long time to wake up eh?, but at least they have.
    What now for the rest of New Zill?

    Will we have to wait for the quinsiqinces of the TPPA to kick in, and the muddle class to be hit in the pocket before we get people re-engaged in politics? I suspect so. (Like Split Ends – it won;t happen overnight, but it WILL happen)
    The good thing is though, that when they do (I.e. the sleepy laid beck hobbits, pissed as newts 3 nights a weak [some even lumbering great chocolate-loving, Tui-sucking; “the Bitchelor”-viewing” cashie-job tradies and others – fucking great lumps of fucking lard], they’ll be very very angry.

    (Just as an aside……why that’s occurred is almost completely down to what was once termed a 4th Estate – who I don’t see coming out of our future unscathed)

    WHEN they do, those of us on the left will be able to preach the Natzi mantra (of personal responsibility, etc., etc., etc.). I can imagine a not-too-distant NZ, and world, where those responsible for signing away sovereignty and the ability for self-determination to be held accountable – PERSONALLY. No doubt when it happens, they’ll be squealing like stuffed pigs, blaming their contemporaries and colleagues (imagine QT in Parliament for example with all those ‘nodders’ worshipping Our Saviour JK, etc.). I don’t think it’s going to cut it for them somehow.
    I’d suggest that when the shit hits the fan, all that personal responsibility mantra the plebians have had to suffer will be translated into personal LIABILITY.

    Christ! How we never seem to learn from history
    ……I’ll hit enter/submit now, cognisant of the possibility of being banned (because of a discussion with some1 I usually admire, but who – I my opinion – seeks to normalise RATHER than deal with a serious problem afflicting laid back New Zill [ FATNESS OBEISITY, SUBSERVIENCE to the sugar pushers]).

    Useless lumps of lard ARE uselss lumps of lard – Worse if they’re also FAT fucking useless lumps of lard and there’s an Osbourne who epitomises a FAT (due to laziness, greed and avarice), USELESS lump of lard – who also happens to be not the sharpest knife in the drawer. Hopefully there won’t be two separate threads on this site dealing with FAT USELSS LUMPS OF LARD apologists

  18. mac1 18
    27 March 2015 at 4:51 pm

    There might be another useful corollary of Northland voters dumping a poor candidate who should have won by a country mile.

    That is, in a General Election, voters might learn in a practical way that MMP allows voters in an electorate to reject a poor candidate and still assist the party of their choice with their party vote.

    That lesson would resonate long and loud in Party rooms.

  19. dv 19
    27 March 2015 at 4:56 pm

    Is it my imagination have the Nats had a large number of poor candidates?

    All the one that have been dumped.
    Has anyone got a list?

  20. Penny Bright 20
    27 March 2015 at 5:31 pm

    Today – followed John Key like a bad smell in KeriKeri!

    He had his ‘squeaky’ voice .

    A sure sign that at the end of the day he is feeling neither ‘comfortable’ nor
    ‘relaxed’?

    Penny Bright

  21. Upnorth 21
    27 March 2015 at 5:40 pm

    I say Winny will win but the real bad story here is Labour ditched Northland – showed no fight or ticker – this is not lost me and many other people.

    Well done NZ first – very sad day for Labour

    • Anne 21.1
      27 March 2015 at 5:51 pm

      Good grief Upnorth where have you been these past few weeks? Labour has done nothing of the sort. We’ve got Kelvin Davis in Te Tai Tokerau and by 2017 we’ll have Willow Jean Prime in parliament too as a Northland list MP. The reality was: Labour didn’t have a show in hell of winning but NZ First did! At this point in time the aim is to reduce the NAct majority so it will be harder for them to emasculate the economy and introduce draconian measures aimed at further eroding social outcomes for the poor and the dispossessed – not to mention the steady erosion of our privacy.

      • Skinny 21.2.1
        27 March 2015 at 8:39 pm

        Cheap shot Marty don’t tell me your still sore over Hone getting cleaned out in TTT. The chicken shit puts up a novice in the by election. The L/D cleaned his clock with ease the other night when he started his what if diatribe on the 2014 election. Ask Bright she was there. Last I saw of him he was standing outside licking his wounds while I was talking to Prime & Robin Grief.

        • marty mars 21.2.1.1
          27 March 2015 at 9:38 pm

          all I did was + 1 you dick – if that’s a cheap shot you need to get out more.

          I have said many times that yes Hone lost and that is that – but sure it still hurts because I think he was great in the house and I miss him in there.

          and sorry I wasn’t there the other night – unlike you I’m not at all of the significant events of the last and this century bathering to the significant people about what a winner I am – you know those that have to skite about themselves just show how weak and useless they feel and are – sort your shit out mate – do a course or some self development to offset this major external recognition deficit you have – fuck you might even make something of yourself if you do and that’ll be nice won’t it.

        • marty mars 21.2.1.2
          27 March 2015 at 10:16 pm

          Sorry skinny after pigmans comment I didn’t realise I was agreeing with a trole – shame on me – so please accept my apologies for calling you a dick and saying you need to get out more – I’m sure you get out more than enough.

          As for Rueben Taipari Porter – he is a man of Mana. Have a read you may be surprised

          http://mananews.co.nz/wp/?p=4167

          • Skinny 21.2.1.2.1
            27 March 2015 at 10:49 pm

            ll good Marty I posted my last comment then read your peace offering, by that stage I couldn’t edit.

            Rueben speaks well, I actually rate him fairly highly. My objective was to pull all the candidates up when they start plucking shit out of their own arse and stray away from their partys policies. Rueben was on a roll and made few mistakes, apart from blaming every other party then his own for their defeat. While Prime may have been non fussed, or diplomatic about cracking Labour for placing Davis out the backdoor ‘again’ on the list so he had to win his seat or he was on the dole, I wasn’t and called it. Yeah and the dot com connection came up as a result, Reuben attempt to defend him and got the why support a neo liberal treatment and I knocked him over with ease. I assume he learnt a lesson, the one trick pony style doesn’t work if some in the crowd have heard it all before. Very content keeping the left party’s left thanks. BTW taking up an offer from ACT has already been politely rejected.

        • marty mars 21.2.2.1
          27 March 2015 at 10:05 pm

          no I don’t but thanks for pointing it all out – I certainly hadn’t gone back and read his previous comments – my bad, sorry about that.

          • the pigman 21.2.2.1.1
            28 March 2015 at 1:15 am

            Don’t apologise! I don’t keep tabs on these chumps either, but when their comments are as fishy as that, I sometimes run due diligence 🙂

    • the pigman 21.3
      27 March 2015 at 9:37 pm

      Cry me a river, may it wash away the concern troles.

  22. Pasupial 22
    27 March 2015 at 10:45 pm

    I haven’t seen any guidance from TS moderators on this, but I imagine that we won’t be able to comment on the byelection from midnight to 7pm tomorrow when the voting booths close. All I could see on the Electoral Commission site was:

    Friday 27 March
    All political advertising ceases and election signs taken down by midnight

    Saturday 28 March
    Election day for Northland By-election
    Voting places open from 9.00am to 7.00pm

    http://www.elections.org.nz/events/2015-northland-election-0/northland-election-timetable

    So while I’ve got time, I want to take one more opportunity to urge any in Northland to vote for Peters. A Nat/NZF government can’t be worse than our present NACT one, and even just having to bribe Dunne will at least slow down their schemes a bit. Also, if you are in Northland and have the time – scrutineer a booth, or a count (get in touch with a campaign headquarters now); it’s tedious but very important work.

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