Will Chris Trotter give up his table?

Written By: - Date published: 9:05 pm, October 23rd, 2014 - 64 comments
Categories: david parker - Tags: ,

GalbraithsFor many decades Galbraiths has been a local watering hole for some of the unionists, academics, and commentariat on Friday night. I have been known to go along to stir participate in the bemoaning lofty debate and to  spend a few coppers (well, quite a few coppers sometimes) on their excellent IPA.  It is within rolling walking distance of home on the other side of Newton Gully.
Last weekend Mr Trotter went to observe the Gracinda pairing down the road at the Kings Arms in bright daylight (a experience that many there had never expected to see). But now he will have to share the Friday watering hole with a campaigning politician.
I received this in the morning email.

Dear Lynn —

 


Two opportunities to talk with David Parker this weekend

Labour_Day_Event.jpg

Join David for a drink at
Galbraiths Alehouse
top of Mt Eden Rd
Friday 24 October 6pm

Join David and celebrate Labour Day Monday 26th
October 10am at the
Michael Joseph Savage Memorial
on Bastion Point

Help shape the future. Join the conversation on where the Labour Party is headed in the next 100 years Bring the kids, there will be kite flying.

>kite.jpg

If you need any more information email David at davidparker@labourfor2017nz

NOTE: This paid advertisement was prepared by David Parker and is sent out to New Zealand Labour Party members in accordance with Rule 3.6.2 of the New Zealand Labour Party Leadership Election Rules (current).

It is a service offered to all candidates and should not be seen as an endorsement from the Returning Officer or the New Zealand Labour Party. Authorised by David Parker, Parliament Buildings, Wellington.

I might wander along to observe… I have to say that it is probably an inspired move as there are a lot of the chattering Auckland left go there to test the beer regularly on Friday evening.

64 comments on “Will Chris Trotter give up his table? ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. Chris 1
    23 October 2014 at 11:02 pm

    So a bunch of Labour faithful talking about doing what will keep them in opposition? Certainly worth going along to because listening to these people is a never-ending source of entertainment. In the meantime we pray for a true left party to replace these plonkers.

    • AmaKiwi 1.1
      24 October 2014 at 2:26 am

      No, I work (not pray) for victory in 2017 because I prefer any of the four candidates to Key, English, etc.

  2. Red delusion 2
    23 October 2014 at 11:17 pm

    the champaign socialist pontificating on how they can save the working masses in leafy Mt Eden, why are they not out drinking in South auckland with the working class and the down trodden masses, same reason I guesse goff and cunliff don’t live in their electorate

    • Chris 2.1
      23 October 2014 at 11:21 pm

      wankers

    • Mark 2.2
      23 October 2014 at 11:22 pm

      Hit the nail completely and squarely on the head with that comment.

    • lprent 2.3
      24 October 2014 at 7:45 am

      I currently live and work in the missing suburb of Newton – drilled through by a motorway. And my very first house 56 years ago after hospital was in Fleet Street. That was when the whole of Newton and Ponsonby was the Auckland slum.

      For me home tends to outrank ideological jerks like yourself.

      Chris catches the bus along Mt Eden road. Tell me have either of you shallow and unthinking fools ever caught a bus to South Auckland from Three Kings? It is an arduous journey.

      It is the same with most of the unionists, their offices are based on transport routes. So they tend to be around the CBD transport hub. Ditto the universities…

      Tell me, have you been recently watching The Young Ones? For some reason you remind me of a certain character in there. The fool child that the late Rik Mayal rather neatly over acted so effectively.

    • Tracey 2.4
      24 October 2014 at 8:25 am

      I thought you and your ilk were always berating labour for preaching tot he converted. South Auckland would qualify, largely as converted (since Michael Jones and Inga stopped pimping for Nats campaigns)

    • left for deadshark 2.5
      24 October 2014 at 9:24 am

      I’ve worked for that deaf bastard down here(before you get on your high horse,Richards a mate)I have mouthed that to him many times in the past.Anyway,Galbraiths is a fine establishment,best beer in Auckland,although their was a place in Browns Bay selling Youngs SLA or was it LSA on tap,another good debating spot.Lynn,if you do make it,give Trotter a clip around the ear from me.

      • lprent 2.5.1
        24 October 2014 at 1:45 pm

        More fun having a go at him for some of these strange conservative concepts that he seems to have brought up from the deep south and still carries around with him. Our ‘discussions’ on operation 8 tended towards the fiery.

        I like southlanders (Lyn is one as well). They really have some odd notions about how things should be.

        • alwyn 2.5.1.1
          24 October 2014 at 3:25 pm

          I hope you are not talking about Chris Trotter when you refer to “I like southlanders”
          Chris is from Otago. See the description of Bowalley Road that he gives on his website.

          “It takes its name from Bowalley Road, which runs past the North Otago farm where he spent the first nine years of his life.”

          What sort of education in Geography do they give in Auckland schools? (If you don’t come from Auckland I apologise to all the teachers in the metropolis).

          • lprent 2.5.1.1.1
            24 October 2014 at 7:06 pm

            Very much south Otago though. But I consider a southlander is pretty much anywhere in the lower SI… But hey, I’m an Aucklander who went to a small town called Dunedin to do a second degree.

            Trotter got his table.

            • alwyn 2.5.1.1.1.1
              24 October 2014 at 8:40 pm

              I suppose we can be grateful that you at least think “But I consider a southlander is pretty much anywhere in the lower SI…”. Alternatively we can be grateful to your wife for educating you a bit.
              My experience seems to be that the average Auckland resident considers the “deep south” to be anywhere south of Hamilton and in the more extreme cases anywhere south of the Bombay hills.
              As someone whose father came from Dunedin and his mother from Gore I learnt the distinction between Southland and Otago at a very young age.
              Particularly if they were playing a rugby match.

    • greywarshark 2.6
      24 October 2014 at 9:28 am

      red delusion
      You are so caustic you will burn through your keyboard. Try diluting it a bit will you, the occasional shaft of pessimism would be bearable but too much is too corrosive and if you actually care about getting better polity, you aren’t leading us towards it.

  3. North 3
    23 October 2014 at 11:40 pm

    Been racking my brain to come up with a publishable reason why, putting aside my 280 kilometres remoteness from Galbraiths, I wouldn’t turn up on Labour Day. In short it’s this – for myself I feel it’s all about ‘them’. I need a bloody rest from the ‘them’. Politics is a career nowadays……not a drive. And the ‘mainchance’ ain’t confined to the real estate agents, flash harrys, and earnest creeps of the National Party back bench.

    Tell me I’m wrong…….fine. My “Left’ comes from my heart and my guts and my bones. The feeling I report comes from there too. Daresay I’ll get over it but that’s me for the moment.

    Red Delusion – Get Fucked. Painfully.

    • AmaKiwi 3.1
      24 October 2014 at 2:31 am

      “I feel it’s all about ‘them’.”

      You are delusional if you think politics is an easy profession. At times I’ve been asked to stand for an elective office. I wouldn’t go near it with a barge poll. If good people stop standing for election we can end up with the really dangerous scum.

      • lprent 3.1.1
        24 October 2014 at 7:55 am

        That is my view as well. It is why I tend to pick the politicians to support and I routinely mute my criticism of them.

        It is a pain of a job…

        • One Anonymous Bloke 3.1.1.1
          24 October 2014 at 8:10 am

          How to pick a politician: figure out which is the worst one apart from all the other ones.

      • Tracey 3.1.2
        24 October 2014 at 8:23 am

        plus 1

        meeting on labour day is a hellova lot more inclusive than a march at 230pm on a weekday…

  4. Red delusion 4
    23 October 2014 at 11:51 pm

    North your right to save yourself a trip, you seem like a real lefty thus deluded but deserving of respect in contrast to that lot masquerading at Galbraith buying pints at 10.50 a pop

    • vto 4.1
      24 October 2014 at 7:46 am

      10.50 a pint? Sheesh. Try the home of the Labour Party where you can get a whole jug for less than that.

      You are clearly living in the wrong part of the world.

      • greywarshark 4.1.1
        24 October 2014 at 9:21 am

        vto
        Or probably if you mix with the Greens they would make their own beer at a very reasonable cost, and sustaining the party spirit too.

  5. felix 5
    24 October 2014 at 1:36 am

    ” I have been known to go along to stir participate in the bemoaning lofty debate”

    I believe the word you’re looking for is “trool” 😉

  6. Tom Gould 6
    24 October 2014 at 6:59 am

    Has Parker put out an ’email statement’ like the ones from Nanaia and Andrew that have appeared on the Standard?

    • Te Reo Putake 6.1
      24 October 2014 at 7:34 am

      Hi, Tom,

      this was emailed from David Parker a couple of days ago:

      I am writing to you to ask you to vote for me as your Leader of the Labour Party.

      My experience as a senior Minister and in law, accounting and business gives me the conviction, real life experience and steel in my backbone to do the job.

      I am standing because I want to lead Labour forward to once again share the hopes and aspirations of working New Zealanders – to lead a party we can all be proud of and one New Zealanders will be proud to vote for. We must look outwards not inwards.

      Right now big structural problems face NZ. Our economy isn’t fair. The problems we face nationally are not going to go away. That why it’s vital we have a strong opposition over the next three years and a united Labour Party. I can stand up to John Key and I have a plan to lead Labour to win in 2017.

      We must unite caucus and the party around our common goal of fair economic outcomes for everyone.

      We must start fresh conversations that focus on the priorities of working New Zealanders.

      We must focus on answering the tough questions in a way that unites the country toward a better future.

      We must live up to our responsibilities so New Zealanders feel proud to vote Labour.

      Put simply, I believe in a fair go and a fair share. I have the experience, the smarts and the passion to lead that change. I know how to build a better New Zealand – have no doubt about it.

      Help me to deliver fair economic outcomes for all New Zealanders by entrusting me with your vote. Labour people are ambitious and optimistic. We know what we need to do. It’s time to get started.

      I look forward to seeing you on the campaign trail.

      Regards,
      David Parker

      • Tom Gould 6.1.1
        24 October 2014 at 7:42 am

        Thank you. Any reason why this email has failed to appear on the Standard like the others, I wonder? The message itself seems okay.

        • Te Reo Putake 6.1.1.1
          24 October 2014 at 8:06 am

          Dunno. Maybe he has no fans among the Standard authorship?

        • lprent 6.1.1.2
          24 October 2014 at 8:11 am

          Not particularly. If you finally get around to actually reading read the about you would realise that this is not a Labour party site. You will find that what goes up on this site is whatever the authors get around to putting up.

          In this case these two showed up in my email box when I had time to read them and to post them. Since I seem to be the only author wanting to put them up, they go up after my other tasks are done. Have a read of my paragraph at the top of Nanianas letter and try to stop acting so much like a pompous dickhead. While I am sure that you can’t help your nature, I really can’t waste time on you explaining the blindingly obvious.

          I am sure that if you go to a Labour party site, there will be copies there. Otherwise I saw that Patrick Leyland had posted them on his site.

          • Tom Gould 6.1.1.2.1
            24 October 2014 at 9:02 am

            Putting the personal abuse to one side, thanks for the explanation. I was simply looking for balance and even handedness. I kind-of admire your William Randolph Hearst style approach to editorial, the old ‘it’s my paper and I’ll publish what I like’. Fair enough. Roger Douglas had the same approach to politics.

            • wekarawshark 6.1.1.2.1.1
              24 October 2014 at 10:07 am

              I think you are missing the essential kaupapa of the standard. It’s run by volunteers, and is a hybrid anarchy/benign dictatorship. There is no requirement for it to be anything other than what the authors and admin want on a day to day basis. AFAIK there is no overarching vision other than to be a voice for the labour movement and offer space for the left to hash things out ie balance isn’t the point and authors/admin don’t have an obligation to provide it.

              If YOU want something in particular done to provide ‘balance’, then organise it. Either contact Labour and ask them to request a guest post, or write it yourself and email it in and ask for it to be put up as a guest post. I would guess that’s pretty much what stargazer did (it pays to provide a title btw, and an intro, unless you want Lynn to write it :twisted:).

            • lprent 6.1.1.2.1.2
              24 October 2014 at 1:58 pm

              We’re not a newspaper or any other part of the news media, nor are we particularly interested in being politicians. What we are interested in is robust debate, preferably with someone who actually knows how to do it intelligently.

              So far that seems to exclude you because you appear to be too lazy to go and learn about how things actually work and are more interested in the way you’d like them to work. It expresses itself as ignorant intolerance. In short you appear to be a dumb bigot.

              FYI: I’m a computer programmer and a long time resident of the net. In fact ever since I first touched early local versions of it back in late 1979. I’ve been participating in its rapid evolution since. Your analogies appear to be quite flawed and only really demonstrate your abysmal ignorance of the mediums and the unique social societies and structures that have evolved within them.

              Perhaps you should read some history and catch up. Start at the bottom and work your way up.

              http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_network

      • phillip ure 6.1.2
        24 October 2014 at 8:18 am

        @ trp..

        ..i don’t think it is aspirational enough…eh..?

        • Te Reo Putake 6.1.2.1
          24 October 2014 at 8:35 am

          Yeah, it’s a bit woolly. As others have mentioned, Parker has actually showed signs of a shift leftwards in at least one major speech. But nothing to get excited about in that email. It’s great that he has a plan; perhaps he intends sharing the details at the membership meetings?

          • phillip ure 6.1.2.1.1
            24 October 2014 at 8:50 am

            why do none of them talk about the actual problems we have..

            ..and the concrete steps they wd take to fix them..?

            ..i have this deep fear that is because they have no real answers/solutions..

            ..and are just really offering just more of the same same..

            ..hence the aspirational-bullshit..

            ..to cover for the fact that they actually have s.f.a. on offer..

            ..just retain status quo..full steam ahead..!

            ..woo-fucken-hoo..!

          • greywarshark 6.1.2.1.2
            24 October 2014 at 9:07 am

            TRP
            Ah, but is it a cunning plan?

            • Te Reo Putake 6.1.2.1.2.1
              24 October 2014 at 9:20 am

              Could be, could be. Maybe a plan to get the deputy’s spot again? Little/Parker, perhaps? He could be Cullen to Little’s Clark.

              • phillip ure …
                24 October 2014 at 9:25 am

                woo-hoo..!..

                ..parker as cullen mk2..

                ..even more benefit raises tied to the rate of inflation..same as national/key do..?

                ..even more far-right parties actually offering more real help to the very poorest..than labour did/do..?

                ..the good ship s.s. neo-lib staying firmly on course..?

                ..i can hardly wait..

                ..labour..!..polling in the teens..awaits you..!

                • Te Reo Putake …
                  24 October 2014 at 9:51 am

                  Your pipe dreams versus 9 years of surpluses and the highest employment levels in a generation. No contest.

                  • phillip ure …
                    24 October 2014 at 10:02 am

                    all the more indictment of that ignoring/neglect/marginalising of the poorest for nine years..

                    ..the fact that clark/cullen/the country could afford it..

                    ..could afford to use just some of those surpluses to undo what richardson/shipley/neo-lib had wrought..

                    ..eh..?

                    ..but nah..!..eh..?

                    …neo-lib/fuck-the-poor! ideology over-rode any/all considerations like that..

                    ..a fucken pox on all of them..!

                    • Te Reo Putake …
                      24 October 2014 at 10:24 am

                      Man, your memory really is shot, isn’t it? Amongst other things, Clark/Cullen lifted benefit rates and indexed them to inflation, bought back income related rents in state housing, and reduced child poverty by around a half. They also lifted state pension incomes for older kiwis and linked the payments to the average wage.

                      But, Ok, they didn’t reduce the price of dope, so yeah, they were complete failures.

                    • wekarawshark …
                      24 October 2014 at 10:32 am

                      “Amongst other things, Clark/Cullen lifted benefit rates and indexed them to inflation”

                      Great, so poor people can be reassured that their poverty will keep up with inflation.

                      When you say they lifted benefit rates, what exactly to you mean? Because they certainly didn’t do anything like reverse the benefit cuts of the early 90s.

                      TRP, do you know what Special Benefit was, and the implications for beneficiaries of its removable and replacement with Temporary Additional Support?

                    • greywarshark …
                      24 October 2014 at 10:44 am

                      TRP and phillip u
                      Good effort phillip but TRP won. Try again.

                    • phillip ure …
                      24 October 2014 at 11:03 am

                      @trp..

                      ..they did not ‘raise benefit rates’..

                      ..(they fucken cut them..!..they removed special benefits/top-ups..in search of a ‘level playing field’..so..big fucken lie from you..eh..?..)

                      (yes..they restored income rents in state houses..)

                      ..they introduced working for (some) families..(which just strengthens my case of how they excluded/ignored the poorest..that was perhaps the most cruel/unkind ignoring..that some..that some families/poor-children were worthy of help..

                      ..but not the very poorest/those doing it hardest..

                      ..and raising the pension was not helping those i am talking about..

                      ..so that’s it..?..that’s yr rosy re-write of history/clark/cullen..?

                      ..and how they so fucked over the poorest..(during ‘nine years of surpluses’..as you mentioned..).?

                      ..all you have done is confirm what i said..

                      ..and interesting how you now try to dismiss those historical-facts as my ‘pipe-dreams’..eh..?

                      ..and what did labour 2014 offer the poorest..?

                      ..s.f.a…eh..?

                      ..nothing changed there..eh..?

                      ..how wd you rewrite/spin that one..?

                      ..into a ‘caring’-parker..?

                      ..(this is yr challenge..!..)

      • greywarshark 6.1.3
        24 October 2014 at 9:18 am

        On David Parker’s phrase ‘our economy isn’t fair’, I think that is a great useful statement to make for a purportedly left person. It means so many different things, it all depends on your place in the community.

        The wealthy think there is too much money being paid to the lazy buggers, and the druggies and the dropouts, and those females dropping kids (one guy in the news was the father of four illegimate babies to four different women) – why should I pay for them, they got themselves into that pathetic state.

        The poor think, he/she understands my plight and I can’t get enough to live on and get decent living conditions and a life no matter what I do. I can trust that pollie to alleviate the problem and make changes so I can better myself if I work harder and still have time left over for a life.

        Treasury and economists and business people are all dissatisfied with the economy because it doesn’t fit their theories, or they have big aspirations and some aspects of the economy don’t advance their personal desires. It’s not fair on them to suffer a let and hindrance to whatever trade they cling to.

  7. bruhaha 7
    24 October 2014 at 7:09 am

    I got one from Parker the other day.

  8. karol 8
    24 October 2014 at 9:03 am

    Oh (sorry to go a bit off topic) but isn’t that Gallbraiths’ place the old Grafton Public Library? I haven’t been inside it since it was a library. It doesn’t seem like that many decades ago. Always thought it was a great old building.

    Can’t say seeing Parker is any incentive to visit. I’ll wait to read the reviews.

    • felix 8.1
      24 October 2014 at 1:29 pm

      Yep that’s the one. Beautiful building, pity about the change of use/ownership.

      • mac1 8.1.1
        24 October 2014 at 1:52 pm

        I dunno, Felix. Auckland is a city I avoid if possible but Galbraith’s is a very good reason to visit, along with certain guitar and record stores nearby. ‘Twas there that I had a near religious experience when I tried Galbraith’s Resurrection Ale for the first time. I saw the Light with that one with all its trappings and Abbey ale became a habit.

    • lprent 8.2
      24 October 2014 at 1:49 pm

      Yes it was. I have to tell you that old public libraries and banks make really great bars. Lots of headroom

      I wasn’t really suggesting that people come along. Hard enough to get seats immediately after work as it is.

  9. The Pink Postman 9
    24 October 2014 at 3:44 pm

    I will make up my mind after the meetings .However I must point out that so far David Parker is the only candidate that has mentioned working people.
    Im looking forward to our local meeting . Democracy in practice.

  10. Michael who failed Civics 10
    24 October 2014 at 8:33 pm

    It’s not necessary for Parker (or any aspirant to the poisoned chalice that is Labour’s caucus leadership role these days) to be a “man” (or “person”) of the people. It is necessary for “him” (or “her”) to be a “man” (or “person”) for the people. I get the distinction and I hope everyone else does too.

    • Colonial Rawshark 10.1
      24 October 2014 at 8:43 pm

      If you are not ‘of the people’ how are you to understand their fears, their hopes and their loves?

      If you are not ‘of the people’ how are you to understand what moves them and what leaves them cold?

      If you are not ‘of the people’ how will you convince them to stand with you, and not apart from you?

  11. Pat O'Dea 11
    25 October 2014 at 9:56 pm

    “Join David and celebrate Labour Day Monday 26th
    October 10am at the Michael Joseph Savage Memorial on Bastion Point”

    Labour Day Monday is the 27th not the 26th.

    So should we turn up on Labour weekend Sunday the 26th or Labour weekend Monday the 27th?

    “Join the conversation on where the Labour Party is headed in the next 100 years Bring the kids, there will be kite flying.”

    With this sort of inattention to organisational detail, it might well be 100 years before Labour is headed into government.