Posts by Alastair Thompson
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OnPoint: Sunlight Resistance, in reply to SHG,
JK said it was a secret in his speech, from his colleagues.
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" so even when people were convinced National was doing bad things, they refused to vote for the alternative."
I think you could be on to something with this theory.
There is a seat of the pants quality to so much of what JK does that I think the full spectrum dominance alternative postulate doesn't hold water.
Plus I think the fact that JK was secretly calling DPF every night is confirmation that he didn't know what he was doing would work.
I suspect another aspect 0f the absence of democratic just deserts in all of this is increasing public contempt for media in general including Hager and Greenwald. Add in the age old prejudice towards Germans and you have a recipe for a shit load of conservative NZ ers to decide "fuck it" this time I'm going to get out and vote which would also explain why for the first time in ages National’s polling percentage actually turned up on the day.
I.E. I think what I am.saying is that the failure of the Gallery in this particular election may be put down to some rather exceptional circumstances that everybody faced.
THAT SAID BRILLIANT PIECE.
The cult of saviness critique has been apt for the NZ gallery for some time in my opinion.
Al
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Hi Laura,
Well from this political pundits POV what you did was amazing. The energy that you threw at everything and the eternal optimism was inspirational. I am sorry you didn't get the financial support you needed but on the smell of an oily rag you accomplished something pretty remarkable.
You are right that politics (especially at election time) makes people weird, suspicious and often rather unreliable. But one of the most fantastic things that has been achieved thus election has been the consistent focus on turnout and participation. The significant efforts by other groups including the CTV, NZUSA and Climate Voter Coalition Gen Zero were inspired by your pluck and enthusiasm.
Without Rock Enrol I don't know if that would have happened. You punched way above your weight and generated buzz and energy and life around something which we now know that some elements in the political process are deliberately trying to make unattractive and unpalatable. And you succeeded. The Early Voting numbers are extraordinary and RockEnrol deserves a significant part of the credit for making that happen.
From my POV kiwis, old and young, have learned a little about the value of democracy this election. And while too many people who should have helped you didn't this time round I am fairly confident that in 2017 the alleged champions of NZ democracy will be a great deal easier to rally to your flag.
KIA KAHA
You and your crew have earned the right to do so with bells on.
Al
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I think there is piles in this that is new in response to the "more of the same" meme which seems to be gaining traction in the Socialverse. It seems to me that the Govt, John Key and Jonathan Coleman are caught in something of a bind.
The current defence/explanation for the "political pressure" asserts that Jonathan Coleman (and the SIS and INZ were prepared to go along with this) was willing to sell residency to a person for $10 million being deposited in a NZ bank account.
The alternate version is that Coleman did some dirty work for the Cabinet Club which he cleverly managed to keep at arms length through a special delegation. It looks externally as if everybody who was involved in this apparent conspiracy knew full well that what they were up to was as dodgy as.
So either they corruptly sought to allow a criminal type into NZ knowing him to be a bad egg - in return for a bank making some fairly small bikkies (a nd the SIS went along with this) - or there was a conspiracy to lure him to NZ so they could offer him up to the Americans - as Kim Dotcom has long claimed.
The evidence is increasingly pointing to the latter, but both explanations play rather bad for the PM.
I have long wondered if this is the real reason that Simon Power resigned. He was Justice Minister through all this and also well informed (unlike the PM) of what was afoot.
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That would have to be one of the longest and most cogent expositions on the subject of politics that Paddy has ever had the privilege of being associated with.
Bravo!
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Most excellent point Craig, and very well made, and quickly too. Bravo!
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Hi Russell,
This looks great. I have signed up and I hope lots of other readers of Public Address do so also.
Personally I definitely received $10 worth of value out of Public Address each month and I expect that if they think about it so do several hundred of your readers.
Ten dollars a month is not a lot to pay for a community that is in your place, talks about your stories, genuinely reflects your values and offers you the opportunity to participate in fascinating public policy debates.
I wish this effort the best possible start.
Alastair Thompson
Scoop.co.nz
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Hey Megan! Congratulations.
Great post. And an auspicious start. 354 Twitter followers already on @thewirelessnz. ( after this comment I will see if I can figure out how to post a picture of the launch in this thread.)
The content strategy behind what you are doing there looks great to me and what you say above explains that a little - targeted share-able usable content about stuff that matters to the yoof. As always the key will be in creating content that connects which is as we all know remarkably difficult.
You can't go much past the advice given to Hamlet, be true to yourselves and you will be true to your audience. And be courageous too.
I was particularly excited with the news of the $190k budget for digital content contributions - this is an initiative which is much needed and is paving the way for funding of digital news content online.
Bravo!
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Hard News: Mega Strange, in reply to Morgan Davie,
bingo.
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Hi,
I can vouch for Jimmy Rae Brown's employability. He is very obliging and capable and we will keep employing him to do tasks for us from time to time.
Great speech Russell. Sorry I missed it. Have had man-flu for more than a week!
al