The media bash
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11:24 am, February 17th, 2009 - 17 comments
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* Did any journo ask Key how much the boot camp is costing per person? Follow my maths. Total cost of new youth punishment measures – $35 million on top of existing costs for 1000 youths per year. So, per youth cost = $35,000 on top of existing costs. Of that, the most expensive element is going to be the boot camp, which will actually only take 10 kids at a time on three month courses. A few hundred ankle bracelets are pretty cheap, so to make the average additional cost is $35K, the boot camp has to be pretty damn expensive.
* I see the Herald has picked up Roger Douglas’s rambling press release from yesterday and run it verbatim as an op-ed today. Nice work if you can get it. Helps to have a major newspaper as a political ally, I guess.
* Isaac Davison, look up the definition of paramilitary
* Richard Long, how many basic errors can you cram into 700 words?:
- “[without National’s DNA sampling changes] a suspected serial rapist should be allowed to roam free, and not be subject to available scientific tests, for fear of offending his sensitivities.” – wrong, a suspect in a crime that is can indictable offence (including rape) can be compelled to give DNA already (the requirement for a court order compelling the sample remains in the new law). If you had read the new Bill, you would know that.
- “the Bill of Rights Act is not paramount, and it will not be the first time it has been overridden.” – that is an not an argument that overriding the BORA is always desirable
- “Often overlooked in this debate is the fact that here, and in other jurisdictions, dna has enabled the innocent to be cleared of wrongful convictions.” – that has nothing to do with taking DNA from people charged with crimes. It is about comparing the DNA of a person convicted of a crime with DNA associated with that crime and already happens under the current DNA sampling rules.
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35 thousand dollars per youth, if it keeps them out of prison, the country will save money in the long run.
[big ‘if’ and its $35K additional to any detention or other punishment they would be in currently. SP]
“”the Bill of Rights Act is not paramount, and it will not be the first time it has been overridden.’ – that is an not an argument that overriding the BORA is always desirable”
I personally believe it should be paramount, but how can the standard say its OK for the EFA to overide the BORA, but not DNA testing and not be considered hypocritical?
Could someone please explain to DPF the difference between abolishing a 2 term limit and appointing yourself president for life.
When you rely on the fascist Venezuelan opposition for your facts you’re bound to make a few errors.
Tane
You support Hugo Chavez??
With reservations. I do have concerns about him, as I would with any Latin American populist. But he’s built a mass left-wing movement, halved poverty and made huge gains in improving literacy rates in a country that was previously run exclusively for the predominantly white colonial elite and treated the majority of the population like dirt.
Judging by his record he’s done a bloody good job under extremely difficult circumstances (such as a US-backed fascist coup and a rabid right-wing media). Whether he continues in the same vein is yet to be seen.
He is also screwing the environment and crushing free speech.
I bet there are no anti government blogs over there.
Brett, the vast majority of the Venezuelan media is rabidly anti-Chavez and it plays unmolested. The so-called “crackdown” was over RCTV not having its broadcast license for the public airwaves renewed because they supported a fascist coup against the government. It still operates via cable and satellite. Do you seriously think any other government would be so lenient in those circumstances?
I don’t meant to always be defending the guy, but you need to be more critical about what you read in the American press.
Just out of interest what do you think of Castro?
Oh by the way I hate Faux News and Im a fan of Michael Moore.
I’m not a fan. He’s done a lot of good things, and a lot of bad things, but ultimately it’s the lack of democracy I have a problem with. I’ve written more about him here –
http://www.thestandard.org.nz/fidel-calls-it-a-day/
Brett Dale said:
” . . .He is also screwing the environment and crushing free speech.
I bet there are no anti government blogs over there . . .”
Do you just sit there and make things up to try and piss people off? There are any nunber of anti government sites in Venezuela. In the unlikely event that you are genuinely concerned about freedom of speech, I suggest you investigate how your mighty free market enterprise is colluding with the Chinese government to supress free speech on the internet.
BLIP:
Those anti government sites wont be hosted in Venezuela.
Brett, any evidence for that? Or are you just pulling stuff out of your arse again?
Tane:
According to Fox news, no just kidding,I think it was BBC world that reported it, I’m sure scoop or rawstory may be able to verify.
Brett,
What about all the anti-government newspapers and the anti-government TV and radio stations?
I suppose none of them are actually based in Venezuela either according to your “thinking”.
Brett, you may be right, you may be wrong. But I generally like to see some verifiable evidence rather than relying on what some guy on the Internet thought he might have read once.
Tane:
I agree, stats and hard data are need, not just opinion.