Williams and Haden

Written By: - Date published: 1:06 pm, July 11th, 2010 - 6 comments
Categories: auckland supercity, sport - Tags: ,

Minor bits of “people news” this weekend. Andrew Williams has thrown his hat in to the ring for Supercity mayor.

Andrew Williams: I want to be Super Mayor

North Shore Mayor Andrew Williams is standing for the Super City mayoralty, promising to inject his own colourful style of politics into the contest. …

“I consider myself on the edge and colourful. I’m prepared to take risks and give things a go,” he said.

Of all the Auckland mayors, Mr Williams has been the most outspoken on the Super City reforms and a vocal critic of Local Government Minister Rodney Hide. He believes this advocacy has contributed to taking some of the hard edges off the reforms and in the past week decided to put his hat in the ring.

I will leave it to those better acquainted with Auckland politics than I to muse on how this might impact on the support for Brown and Banks.

And in other news Andy Haden has finally been fired resigned from his role as RWC Ambassador:

Former All Black Andy Haden has resigned as an official ambassador for the Rugby World Cup. Mired in his second controversy over inappropriate comments, Mr Haden today handed his resignation to World Cup Minister Murray McCully – widely tipped to be ready to sack Haden anyway from his role as an honorary Ambassador of the Government’s 2011 Rugby World Cup programme.

But he had fallen short of apologising for his comments – blaming the furore on a media beat up.

Still hasn’t got a clue, but at least he’s gone. If the Nats want to save the event they should get rid of some other incompetents too. Starting with Murray McCully. Give the job to a competent minister, like – umm – like say…. Well, there’s Bill English but I’m sure he’s busy mowing his lawns in Dipton. So it would have to be one of the other competent Nats like – like – help me out here…?

6 comments on “Williams and Haden ”

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  1. Santi 1
    11 July 2010 at 1:34 pm

    Williams, the madman? It can only be a sick joke.

  2. exbrethren 2
    11 July 2010 at 1:42 pm

    McCully is an utter failure in all his roles. Maybe he’s just taxing too many minibars.

    I guess RWC minister could be Chris Tremain, he comes across as having social skills and a non-prehistoric attitude.

    Foreign secretary should be ….?

    • Rex Widerstrom 2.1
      11 July 2010 at 3:35 pm

      It’s actually only convention that restricts roles in the Ministry to elected MPs. In theory anyone can be a Minister, just not vote in the Parliament.

      The answer is obvious: Andy Haden as RWC Minister! And to balance it out, Williams as Foreign Minister.

      When Haden has finished insulting being bravely honest about all the players from African nations, they’ll at least feel better when meeting Williams, as they’ll be able to console themselves with the observation that “At least we have indoor plumbing”.

      • Loco 2.1.1
        12 July 2010 at 9:24 am

        Nope, its legislated Rex – Constitution Act 1986 – here is a quote:

        “Ministers of Crown to be members of Parliament

        (1) A person may be appointed and may hold office as a member of the Executive Council or as a Minister of the Crown only if that person is a member of Parliament.

        (2) Notwithstanding subsection (1) of this section,—
        (a) A person who is not a member of Parliament may be appointed and may hold office as a member of the Executive Council or as a Minister of the Crown if that person was a candidate for election at the general election of members of the House of Representatives held immediately preceding that person’s appointment as a member of the Executive Council or as a Minister of the Crown but shall vacate office at the expiration of the period of 40 days beginning with the date of the appointment unless, within that period, that person becomes a member of Parliament; and
        (b) Where a person who holds office both as a member of Parliament and as a member of the Executive Council or as a Minister of the Crown ceases to be a member of Parliament, that person may continue to hold office as a member of the Executive Council or as a Minister of the Crown until the expiration of the 28th day after the day on which that person ceases to be a member of Parliament.”

  3. surprised 3
    12 July 2010 at 9:58 pm

    Interestingly, Garth McVicar on facebook believes the criticism of Haden is “P C gone mad!!!”. Rather than speaking out for victims of crime he agrees women that claim assult by rugby players “got what they set out to get” and that Haden was “pillaried for telling it how it is”. Interesting for a man that claims to stick up for victims of crime – I wonder if rape victim members of his organisation know of his views.

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