Posts by Nick D'Angelo
Last ←Newer Page 1 2 3 4 5 Older→ First
-
I think things have gone so badly for the government, they should avoid putting themselves on TV.
A very risky strategy. Most people get their 'info' from TV. To not be seen on that medium when your opponent is would be counter-productive. But you're right that things have gone badly for the government (perception vs reality) so with that in mind I offer (tounge-in-cheek) the following 'Joe Public' reaction to your campaign ideas:
1. Working for Families.
Look they've got one of those fancy double door silver fridges! And their kid has got an iPod! I don't pay my taxes so they can live in luxury!!2. Civil Unions.
Ooh yuck, look at them. Ooo-er </shiver> That Helen Clarke's a Lesbian y'know - __that's why they made it legal__3. A graduate who is paying off their interest free student loan and choosing to stay in NZ as a result.
I left school and got a job! Do you think you're better than me?4. A businessman who's going to be making it big with the free trade deal with China.
Yeah, right. They'll be claiming we're shipping coals to Newcastle next. Take a look at the blardy Warehouse - it's all 'Made In China'5. Something to do with health, ignoring their failures in this area.
Yeah, right. I paid $38 for my last doctors visit and I was only in there for 6 minutes! Do the maths, those Doctors are creaming it. And yet when [insert name of one of many people you know] needs a [name their ailment] they're put on a 12 month waiting list!!Actually your suggestions are good, but should probably target niche demographics (ie Civil Union ads in Gay Media). But the MSM will probably then use that to bash them anyway ("Labour spends $X,000 targeting Gay Voters!").
But they should keep away from Health. There's no winning that one. Everyone knows someone (or knows someone who knows someone) who didn't get the health treatment they needed the day after they were diagnosed with the problem.
-
to be perfectly frank, her overstuffed, sore-looking augmented breasts aren't even very attractive.
Why are they sore? From her $2000-a-night 'other job' , or is Oliver being a Very Naughty Boy in the Green Room?
You're on fire this morning.
Maybe, but 7.43am is waaay too early to be posting Madonna clips.
Were a majority of voters to vote to the question "Should a smack as part of good parental correction be a criminal offence in New Zealand?" the next government could quite easily declare that the law serves such concerns quite well as it is.
Heh heh ~ thanks for pointing that out. Some PAS readers seem to think the CIR will place us under the Christian Fundamentalist equivalent of Sharia Law.
So amid all the talk of wasted money, might I ask that the likes of Larry Baldock stop wasting everyone's time and money with bullshit referendum questions?
You can ask, and many would echo your sentiments but that's the price of Democracy. The Law says you need 350,000 signatures on a CIR petition. If the petition says "John Key is a Knob and should have to wear a T-Shirt everyday that says 'I Am A Knob'" and they can get 350,000 signatures ....
Nevermind that Key would just wear the T-shirt under another shirt.
-
It's is true, however, that in some countries, England particularly, the media have actively encouraged, if not commissioned, people to try to capture celebs in compromising positions: Shane Warne being one of the most recent and high-profile ...
by a Kiwi lass no less:
WARNE'S MAIDEN
She's the Kiwi 'sexport' who captured Shane Warne in a compromising position and sold the pictures to the British tabloids. 20/20 reporter Hadyn Jones spoke exclusively with Coralie Robinson, who is making a career out of sex with celebrities.She even has her own website (naturally)
Maybe that's why the British Press don't trust our womenfolk? (Plonkers)
-
what Steve Withers just said
Yeah, it's bizarre/appalling/sickening that a jury could accept the Section 59 defence in those instances. It defies logic, and yet because juries kept acquitting the new legislation became imperative.
Maybe we need similar legislation for the Police, since one jury at least thinks 4 policemen batoning and pepper spraying a prisoner for 20 minutes is 'reasonable'. And the judge is complicit ~ he doesn't think we can be trusted with seeing the 3 hour video. We might just skip to the juicy bits and not understand why the cops needed to do what they did.
-
I would have presumed that they could have just counted the CIR the next day, but apparently the law states that preliminary results must be out that night, which I guess means about half again as many vote counters to count the referendum.
Yes, or we could amend the law to allow the votes to be left in a locked strong box and counted the following day. People want to know who their new Government is a.s.a.p. but I'm sure they can wait a day to find out the results of a CIR.
You've made some fair points but you characterise the argument for separating CIRs from elections as being somehow disingenuous.
Don't get me wrong, I don't think CIR's should be tied to the next available General/Local Body election per se; I just think that in this instance it would be more practicable and economical (despite some saying there is no cost saving) to run it with the General Election.
If the referendum is delayed, I doubt there'll be 1 million votes... maybe not half a mill?
Which is why my cold black cynical heart thinks there is skulduggery afoot. Look, I get it: If less than half a million turn out for a CIR (one not held with a General Election) then it will be easier for the government to dismiss the result as not definitive (esp. if the turnout is even less than the 350k who signed the petition).
And again I say: I support the current legislation and will vote against the CIR proposition BUT the promoters of that referendum have done what is legally required so I believe that in the interests of democracy we need to have the CIR (in a timely manner).the promoters of that referendum have done what is legally required
Or have they? It would be 'funny' if the new signatures were struck out as duplicates and they still didn't have the numbers!
-
Wow! I've just been watching (live on Al Jazeera) (via Triangle/Stratos) Morgan Tsvangirai's press conference. He seems quite impressive. I'd be hiding in a safe house somewhere but no, he's back home talking to the global media.
Zimbabwe opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai briefly left the Dutch Embassy in the capital of Harare Wednesday, holding a news conference at his home before returning to the embassy.
Well, I can't say I blame him. I was almost expecting Mugabe's henchmen to throw caution to the wind and beat him up in front of the world's media anyway. (Since they have God on their side)
Also interesting was that after talking to the media he gave his first one-on-one interview to Al Jazeera. -
something as important as child abuse needs its own isolated time, it's a biggie, smacking kids is a biggie.
More or less important than voting in a Government? Again I say: do people seriously believe 'we the people' can't deal with two big issues at once? If not then we need to review who gets the right to vote.
-
"And no-one said the referendum should be "buried." Just put it at a suitable time."
absolutely if something is so topical it requires a referendum that debate deserves to be isolated for thorough re-discussion not yanked into the forefront of a hugely complex election discussion.Oh Puh-lease. Anyone with any experience in politics (Union, PTA, Local Govt, whatever) knows darn well that the first line of defence (if you think you can't defeat the proposal before you immediately) is to delay the vote. Insist it needs 'more discussion' and move to have the matter 'tabled'. That's exactly what's happening here.
How many causes could you feasibly get 300,000 signatures for?Alright we'll spend taxpayers money on rediscussing and voting on this but it shouldn't dominate our election.
Well duh. Not many if the number of CIR we've had so far is any indication. And that's one of my points. Even tho' I don't agree with the proposition, those behind it have jumped thru the appropriate hoops so I think it only fair they get their referendum now. And as a taxpayer I believe it must be more cost effective to run it with the General Election.
The whole thing has partisan politics written all over it now - reinforcing my view that it shouldn't be muddling up a general election ballot paper.
'Partisan'? Sheesh. That can apply to anyone seeking a CIR. Are you seriously suggesting this is a Trojan Horse for the National Party? They're leading in the polls, they don't need it. By moving to delay the CIR Clarke is playing into their hands anyway, isn't she? She's guaranteed it will be an election issue.
Its from the Chief Electoral Office, dated March, and seems to say exactly what the Pm says it does.
It defies basic maths to suggest that it will cost the same to run a stand-alone CIR as it would to have the CIR voting slip handed to people at the same time they are handed their voting slips at the General Election. And if doesn't then Key is right, our bureacracy really does need a rocket up it's butt.
because thats a bad time for childbeating discussion
What saddens/annoys me about this thread is the presumption that if the CIR is held 'they' will win and therefore (because we don't like 'them') we should delay the CIR so we can have more time to convince the masses we are right. The fact is that National are likely to win the next election and likely to get thru whatever they want. So surely it's better to have the CIR sooner rather than later so National's hands are tied when they take power? Because I don't think 'the masses' will support this proposition.
-
Wow - this thread is a bit of an indictment on the mental abilities of PAS readers, isn't it?
Okay, that may be inflammatory but I'm kinda inflamed my self. I could only take the first page of comments before leaping in with this:
How can you stand for Democracy when you think it's okay to finangle this Petition because you don't like what the Petition strands for? I don't agree with the Petition's proposition either BUT what's the point of having referendum legislation if you want to bury referendum's you don't agree with?
So what if you think the people behind this petition lied and tricked people into signing? If people feel they were lied and tricked into signing it they certainly won't vote for it at the referendum will they?
If 350,000 people sign a petition saying they want a referendum on lifting the minimum wage to $20 an hour would you dismiss that petition too? Would you say they were just the poor looking after their own interests?
Honestly, shame on anyone who thinks this referendum doesn't deserve to see the light of day, or that it's okay to try and scuttle it by moving it to next year. And shame on anyone who thinks that NZ voters can't deal with the burden of trying to vote in a Parliament and make a decision on the referendum. If you don't think our brains are able to cope then maybe we should only give voting rights to Smart People (ie people who think like you).
-
There ARE two women involved. Your (and others) confusion shows what a good job someone has done in spinnning this.
If 'Angel' was the presumed victim I'm sure the Police would have dropped this case the minute she came out with her Tabloid Tale.
There may well be other possibilities that hadn't occured to me?
Another possibility is that the UK press are deliberately confusing the two ...
Oh yeah, and BTW </prediction> "this file remains open but no further action will be taken at this time unless new facts emerge" ~ Police