Voting Local 2010
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Except that as mentioned upthread, leaving *one* candidate unranked is the same as ranking them last.
Yes, no doubt that will make some people feel better about 'not voting' for so and so.
(NZ STV voting law doesn't seem to have the facility to deal with a tie, but I'm not sure if that eventuality is dealt with in general electorate elections, or FPP local body elections either).
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Often easier to pick a candidate that matches what's important to you by their position on an issue rather than the label they campaign under. For instance, council-owned housing in the Auckland region.
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Most of the candidates seem to have sassed STV and worked out that obfuscating any ideas they have will avoid their being marked down by those that dislike those ideas.
Hence the level of platitudes and lack of solid information.
Incidentally, if you lie like fuck on a candidate profile, like claiming to be a medical professional and to have managed a large overseas hospital, is that actionable?
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You sure that wasn't Ms Bennett?
I will beat you to death with my spare copy of Pride and Prejudice, just you see if I don't. Thou shalt not take the name of Jane in vain.
I actually meant Paula Bennett.
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food for thought - paperback raita...
Just in case you needed another reason not to vote for Bob Parker in chch... The Press conducted a cultural taste testJim Anderton won by just four points, with perfect scores for his taste in books, television shows and movies overcoming his rejection of modern music and computer games.
Bob Parker rated well for his taste in computer games and television shows, but was pipped at the post after conceding he had not read a book in years.
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If I may quote from my own profile of the Christchurch Mayor's wife, from back in late 2007. A glimpse of the Parkers' living room:
Home to the couple's youthful entertainments. All four Alien movies on DVD. Concert films demonstrating the guitar prowess of Peter Frampton, Joe Satriani, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Mark Knopfler -- the mayor, we know, is an enthusiastic guitarist. An Xbox for two players (today's game: Superman Returns). A kitchen stocked with sugar-free energy drinks. There's just one visible book, and it's about public speaking.
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I actually meant Paula Bennett
or her close relative, Gordon..
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And elsewhere, Labour's Auckland Issues spokesman gets pinged for using his parliamentary e-mail for electioneering. Good, because the Dorkland election hasn't been silly enough...
Mr Twyford admitted he asked a staff member to send on his behalf an email to about 1000 recipients endorsing Labour-backed candidates in local elections.
"Parliamentary Services have told me that there is a case to answer and that it has been referred to the Speaker's Office. This was a genuine mistake. I am now aware of the rules and I won't be making this mistake again."
You don't need to, do you Phil? I can't really blame Michelle Boag for having great difficultly tamping down the schadenfreude on The Panel this avo.
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Found an interesting comment at Te Standard (had to check the kicking on their Hobbit thread eventually, including from a certain banned wog).
They reckon Rodney Hide is the one who complained to the Speaker about Twyford's behaviour (which I'm not defending for a second, note). Does seem a tad politically reckless after his recent Garretting.
Caveat: I haven't followed this story at all and appreciate the rankness of their cited source.
Hide can talk – leaked emails show staff in his office have been on Banks’ campaign. What utter hypocrisy.
This email (final one in the post) claims paid staffers Brian Nicole (who was fired from Banks 2004 campaign for dirty smears), Chris Diack and Stu Wilson are involved in Banks’ campaign: http://whaleoil.gotcha.co.nz/2010/08/20/anatomy-of-a-failed-leak-coup-smear/
The Twyford story is nothing. This is major. Ministerial staff working for the Local Government Minister in ACT party office are helping on a local campaign. They should be fired and Hide should step down.
Maybe he should report himself? Maybe the media should ask him what involvement these men have had in Banks failing campaign?
Remember – John Banks almost became a candidate and leader for ACT in 2005
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Sacha: First, as you say anyone citing Whale Oil as a source has a base code credibility problem. (Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me...)
Second, no -- the Twyford story is not "nothing" but a nice (and predictable) deflection attempt from the Standard. (Yet again, I'm rather amused at the Kiwibog/Sub-Standard special -- using the enemy as an ethical baseline.)
And finally, if any of this is true I'm kind of surprised Twyford himself didn't do something with it. Show me any credible evidence that Hide or his staffers are pulling the same shit and I'll condemn it. But I'd infinitely prefer nobody uses Parliamentary resources for local body electioneering.
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Second, no -- the Twyford story is not "nothing"
I've said that
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As opposed to simply firing an entire local body and cancelling the election because you don't like the way people voted?
Personally I consider the opposition are paid to oppose, whether that's at local body level or anywhere else.
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Herald story today about Williams and the oily one on the campaign trail. SFW, kept breakfast down.
On stage, Mr Williams presents as subdued, dignified, satisfied - unlike the bombastic, bumbling boozer portrayed by Mr Slater's Whale Oil website.
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He says he has a strategy for coping with Mr Slater's presence on the same stage: "He craves attention and he craves the limelight and the best way is to ignore him, if you can."
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In front of an audience, Mr Slater shows a personable side and also a politician's skills.
He talks about politicians picking ratepayers' pockets for pet projects.
He picks up on concerns of a previous speaker that the Super City will turn East Coast Bays' streets into looking "like South Auckland - roller doors and rubbish".
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But I'd infinitely prefer nobody uses Parliamentary resources for local body electioneering.
Serious question. Isn't this rather hard to do?. I suggest, most politicians have a keen interest in the local elections. Many of these people have close affiliations with our Govt, politicians. We all know to have your photo taken with the PM can be beneficial (read John Banks, Bob Parker) so even if subliminal, it is the PM endorsing these candidates and he knows that. He has even said that he doesn't agree with Anderton and his popularity has turned. He doesn't agree with Brown but gets on stage beside Banks for a smile and a wave, whilst after, saying he won't endorse anyone. So how much does it cost to send out 1000 emails, compared to say flying around the Country that just happens to let you use taxpayer funds but still does influence certain outcomes?
It does seem a bit hypocritical. -
As opposed to simply firing an entire local body and cancelling the election because you don't like the way people voted?
Oh, what's Darth Brownlee done now. :)
Honestly, Rich, I don't care what Twyford does on his own computer or if he's spending his weekend canvassing or working a phone bank for City Vision. But I'm just gob-smacked that a man as smart as Twyford -- and use to run a pretty tight ship at Oxfam NZ, I've been told -- ever thought it wasn't a problem to be using Parliamentary resources for local body electioneering. (Then again, I can't believe anyone every thought buying grog at a party conference or pay-per-view hotel porn was an appropriate use of public money either.)
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Please, its Bulldozer Brownlee & Bobcat Bob bolling buildings.
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Serious question. Isn't this rather hard to do?
Serious answer: It's only as hard as you choose to make it.
I suggest, most politicians have a keen interest in the local elections.
I'm certain many civil servants do as well - and they're expected to follow the civil service code of conduct to the letter. I can predict exactly what Grant Robertson would have so say if it was revealed a senior manager at the Health Ministry used their official e-mail to solicit votes for right-leaning DHB candidates. Nor do I think "honest mistake - my bad!" would cut any ice with him or the State Services Commission.
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I agree with Sacha, in that if staff of the Minister of Local Government are assisting with the campaign of a candidate in a local body election -- let alone the election in question -- it's way more serious than Twyford stupidly sending campaign emails from his taxpayer address.
I've seen it pop up a couple of times in blog comments, but I don't know the truth of it. It might be a good one for gallery journalists to ask about.
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I'm going to agree to disagree with you on that, Russell. It's just not acceptable for any MP or Parliamentary staffer to be local body electioneering using Parliamentary resources.
As I said, it's perfectly legitimate for all political parties to endorse local body tickets. Nor do I much care if civil servants, MPs and parliamentary staffers spend their weekends out campaigning. But Parliamentary Service rules about using parliamentary resources for electioneering are hardly ambiguous, and they apply to everyone.
I've seen it pop up a couple of times in blog comments, but I don't know the truth of it. It might be a good one for gallery journalists to ask about.
On the other hand, hope might triumph over experience and the Press Gallery learn to turn to turn the bullshit detector up to eleven before uncritically letting credibility-light blogs drive the news agenda. :)
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Herald story today about Williams and the oily one on the campaign trail.
Williams seemed to have some sort of late spazz with 'Seven Days' on Thursday meaning he didn't appear as 'Yes Minister' at their filming. They put a member of crew in the chair in a mask and abused him to their heart's content.
The show also had a couple of small pokes at the producers side of the Hobbit dispute. Was quite a topical show on Friday.
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Civil servants are employed. The opposition are elected.
I don't see why they shouldn't be able to use parliamentary resources (as opposed to departmental resources) for any kind of political campaigning. Pretty much all ministerial and parliamentary information releases are done to get a political effect - here's a typical one from Peter Dunne http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1010/S00016/dunne-gst-transition-smooth-transparent-and-fair.htm. I can't see any purpose to that taxpayer funded release other than to make people vote for Dunne and the National Party.
So what's the difference between that and Goff endorsing an (unofficial) candidate of his party in a local election?
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I don't see why they shouldn't be able to use parliamentary resources (as opposed to departmental resources) for any kind of political campaigning.
And I don't see why the taxpayer should be picking up the tab for any MP to be campaigning for local body candidates on the downlow. Anyway, I think you made a rather disingenuous false equivalence there -- if Peter Dunne is using his parliamentary e-mail to astroturf his constituents on behalf of the incumbent mayor of Wellington, then we can talk. I have no problem being short, sharp and XXX-rated about Dunne.
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I'm pretty sure no-one who frequents PAS needs such reminding, but you need to get your ballot back in the mail this coming Wednesday (6th October) if you want your vote to count.
If for some reason you miss the mail - please hunt down your friendly local librarian, who will receive your ballot with a smile, but this option is only valid til mid-day on voting day, Saturday 9th October.
And a reminder to candidates - all signs, hoardings, posters, billboards etc need to be removed from public view by midnight Friday.
End of public service announcement. Regular programming will commence shortly with TVNZ's new telly game: "Is he or isn't he a New Zealander!"
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I thought all local body elections in NZ were run by a government agency, but I heard this morning on Morning Report that there is a private company running the Auckland election. The spokesman also said that 'unfortunately' voting from the North Shore was low while it was high from South Auckland. Where did this privatisation of the voting system come from?
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I heard this morning on Morning Report that there is a private company running the Auckland election.
True. Independent Election Services. A private company owned / operated by Dale Ofsoske, who, if he did say
"unfortunately' voting from the North Shore was low while it was high from South Auckland."
has slipped up in his stellar handling of elections, which his company has done for the last few Auckland City Council elections.
There are a number of companies around that provide these services, but I don't know when/how this situation occurred. I'm just grateful that Ofsoke's company is very competent and clean (corruption free) in my experience as candidate.
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