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Jacinda Ardern

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9 hours ago, rdytdy said:

Jacinda’s Year of Delivery

by Christie 
 

Matthew Hooton nails it once again.

For those still committed to reality-based politics, Ardern’s “year of delivery” is as credible as her earlier promise to be “transformational”.
KiwiBuild, the Billion Trees programme and the Provincial Growth Fund handing out only 3 per cent of the money Shane Jones has paraded are the most risible.
More seriously, Ardern appointed herself Minister for Child Poverty Reduction and declared it the reason she entered politics, yet by some measures it has worsened.

Beneficiary numbers and state-house waiting lists are up, with just 656 new state houses completed in 2018/19, compared with 1043, 466 and 732 over the previous three years.
The promise to deliver a Wellbeing Budget based on the Treasury’s Living Standards Framework turned out to be a hoax, with Grant Robertson putting his Budget together in exactly the same way as his predecessors. His decision to increase the Government’s debt limit by $16 billion suggests Steven Joyce was right, pre-election, to talk about a $12b fiscal hole.

That is a stunning list of non delivered items, don’t you think?

Immigration from countries other than Australia is as high as ever, still above 100,000 a year, a massive number for a country of just 5 million people with already failing infrastructure.
At least in Auckland, there is no bold programme to address that infrastructure deficit, with vast bureaucratic effort going into analysing vanity projects like the airport tram rather than radically expanding the existing rail system and optimising the roading network.

On climate change — which Ardern called her generation’s “nuclear-free moment” — spin continues to trump substance, with agriculture potentially going into the Emissions Trading Scheme but with 95 per cent subsidies. Who knew Ardern’s climate “emergency” could be solved by dairy farmers paying just 1c per kilogram of milk solids?
As yet, no decisions have been made on reforming water allocation rights and cleaning up lakes and rivers. Plans for a water tax have gone the same way as Michael Cullen’s capital gains tax.

Well, for once, I am glad about something this government has done… or technically not done, as it looked like they were was going to trash our economy completely by strangling the agricultural sector. Now it might take them 2 terms to wreck the economy instead of just one.

In contrast to Chris Finlayson’s cracking pace, Andrew Little has signed just three Treaty of Waitangi deeds of settlement and made no progress with Ngapuhi. No human remains will ever be recovered from Pike River, whatever Little tells the families.

This was always a lie of outrageous proportions, with the Pike River families being used as political footballs all the way through the ordeal. The West Coast gets what it deserves though… these guys always, always vote Labour.

On ethical issues such as complying with the Official Information Act, answering parliamentary questions and managing conflicts of interest, the Ardern ministry has complied with the maxim that each Government is worse than the one before.

No, Matthew, they are the most open and transparent government of all time… and also the most skillful with a black felt pen…

Ardern may cultivate a brand of almost naive sincerity but those around her are at least as cynical as those around John Key.
They know it will be enough for Ardern to take to social media to declare the year of delivery a triumph and to thank New Zealanders for making it happen. “The Government didn’t do this alone!” the Prime Minister will gush. “We all did this together!”
It will be amplified by those in the traditional media for whom challenging Ardern’s narrative remains verboten. Those who break the taboo will be criticised for not embracing the vibe. Such negativity, her cheerleaders will tell us, is not who we are now.

For those who criticise National and their inability to tear the government to shreds, the next paragraph gives us an inkling into how tough it can be.

In the post-truth era, the Opposition pointing out the sheer emptiness of the Prime Minister’s utterances will achieve no more than the Washington Post frantically fact-checking Trump’s. If Simon Bridges challenges the Prime Minister’s account, he will be ridiculed for looking angry.

A Newspaper.

 

That is happening already, with National being accused of heresy for questioning the value of declaring ‘climate emergencies’. These guys cannot win in the current environment.

Good on Matthew Hooton for calling out the government’s woeful performance to date, but he is a lone voice. Over on Stuff, on the same day, we have the inevitable puff piece from Tracy Watkins…

Baby Neve Te Aroha Gayford is crawling around the floor of her parents’ Sandringham bungalow when she discovers the big fluffy microphone in our video operator’s bag. She grabs it before her famous mum can stop her and starts making “woof woof” noises.

“There are obvious limitations to what I’m able to do as a first time mum. And that’s something that actually I just had to accept. There’s no point dwelling on that too much.”
The limitations Ardern refers to are “just not being around” for Neve as much as she would like.
“Some days I’ll only see Neve once (a day). Sometimes I won’t see her at all. Sometimes I won’t see her for a couple of days.

Stuff.


Personally, I am sick to death of a sycophantic media trying to keep the worst-performing prime minister in living memory in her job by constantly writing these pathetic articles to bolster her public appeal.

Doesn’t it strike you as worrying that, apart from Matthew Hooton, the rest of the media doesn’t even try to defend the prime minster’s dreadful job performance, but concentrates solely on the fact that she is a first-time mother instead?

What does that tell you about the quality of our government?

Or our media ??

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The world is watching

 

New Zealand used to keep its head below the radar. Now it is upfront and centre (GreatAwakening)

 

 

submitted 2.5 hours ago by Monty_Batton

Q tells us all of the time to be mindful of the small details. This tiny, hitherto insignificant little country is now front stage and centre. A Socialist Govt put in power by a man, Winston Peters, who held his seat in power on a no immigration, no bullshit campaign. Yet he betrayed his people and put a regime in that has, in less than a year, destroyed a Nation. When you have a person who is in a position of power who puts his or her well being before that of the Nation that they are supposed to represent.... there are problems. One man changed an entire Nation. In A FEW SHORT MONTHS. Is New Zealand the little tester to see how easy it is to to take over a country? Let's face it. Since the Christchurch massacre, social media has been shut down, internet access censored, people arrested and jailed for violating the laws that did not exist when the person posted links on social media... retrospective legislation.... New Zealand is in a state of semi lock down. The Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, a committed paid up member of the Socialists, is all around the world spreading hatred of all things free and decent. She had the audacity to tell Australia off for its laws... In my humble opinion, New Zealand is being used as a test case to see how easy it is to take over a country and it has worked well. My Kiwi friends are frightened to talk and also tell me that they cannot access many things on the internet. Things are very wrong downunder.

The one thing that has got me puzzled is why Winston Peters, a Maori, a champion of New Zealand Rights, chose to give his DECIDING vote to a Socialist.

No, something is rotten in New Zealand, and I reckon that Winston Peters got a very, very big thank you from someone, somewhere.

To betray his country, his whanau and his party... must have been alot.

Jacinda Ardern is a Socilaist bitch. But Winston Peters is a Traitor.

We see them all over the world: people who have power and use it for their own good.

I say bastards.

 
 
 
 
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[–] Monty_Batton [S] 47 minutes ago 

I am so angry at what Winston Peters did to my country. https://www.patriotrealm.com/index.php/149-nazguls-new-zealand-and-winston-peters Everyone is so angry about Jacinda the Socialist but what about the bastard who allowed her to be in power??

 

 
 

[–] RakerKey 1.5 hours ago 

Jacinda Ardern is a man pretending to be a female

 

 
 

[–] DeathToMing 2 hours ago 

yeah it's fucked bro

 

 
 

[–] amarQ144 2.1 hours ago 

I say fork'n bastages!

 

 
 

[–] Dnomen 2.3 hours ago  (edited 2.3 hours ago)

It is one of the last bastion of the 'Old Guard'. NZ had the happiest people on the planet, based on a 'happiness index'. It allows them to be easily controlled by the globalists. France is rebelling against Macron, Germany is falling under the weight of Merkel, South Korea put their cultist leaders in prison, Norway jailed their bankers, the US rejected the lying Satanic Baby fuckers, and the globalists have retreated.

NZ will fail soon enough.

 

 
 

[–] Monty_Batton [S] 1 point (+1|-0) 23 minutes ago 

I fear so.

 

 
 

[–] Dnomen 21 minutes ago 

In the long run, it will make everything better. Think of NZ as the Bizarro World Argentina.

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Dear Aussies, Please Accept Our Apologies

by Christie 
 

I will never forget the Christchurch earthquake in February 2011. None of us will, of course. But one of the things that stands out in my mind was how quickly the USAR crew arrived from Australia. They were here by late afternoon, after the earthquake had struck just before 1.00pm. All I could think of that day was Thank You, Australia. You truly are, as always, our friends when we are in need.

That was over 8 years ago though, and it seems a lot has changed.

Australia’s policy to deport people who commit crimes to New Zealand – even when they’ve spent most of their lives living overseas – is “corrosive” to the relationship between the two nations, Jacinda Ardern said today, warning that it’s not an issue she’s intending to let go. 

Once again, I am embarrassed by our naive prime minister. She has absolutely no rights here. Among the large number of Kiwis living in Australia, there are a significant number who are being or have been deported because they have committed serious crimes. I have heard all the sob stories about them not having a support network in New Zealand, but it makes no difference. Kiwis in Australia will always be deported if they commit crimes. A really good idea would be for them not to commit the crimes in the first place, but that doesn’t seem to occur to anyone, especially Jacinda Ardern.

“New Zealand absolutely accepts Australia is within its rights to deport those who engage in criminal activity in Australia,” she told media today. 

Well, that is it then. Even Jacinda acknowledges that Australia is acting completely within its rights. If only she had left it there, then maybe the relationship would still be safe.

But no.

“However, there are examples on the more extreme end, where individuals have little to no connection at all to New Zealand, have grown up in Australia, and those are the cases we continue to raise with Australia at every level.”

She said Mr Morrison “knows I consider it to be corrosive to the relationship”. 

And you know what, Jacinda? Scott Morrison doesn’t give a damn if you think this is ‘corrosive’ to the relationship. You know why? Because nobody in New Zealand votes for him… and those people who do vote for him don’t want our criminals on their shores. Fair enough too.

The thing is that being the minnow in the relationship (or as is often said, being the ‘kid brother’), Jacinda is both stupid and naive to speak as arrogantly as she does. It puts our relationship with Australia in serious jeopardy. Australia can change the rules regarding residency to the detriment of thousands of Kiwis at the drop of a hat. Australia also does not have to constantly come to our aid as soon as we call. The fact that they do, every time, is a measure of the close ties between the countries. I don’t think we can take that attitude for granted though, as Jacinda so arrogantly does.

Ms Ardern added that many New Zealanders consider the policy “not fair dinkum”.

TVNZ


I have not met one single Kiwi that agrees with this statement, but I think that is probably because most of us respect Australia’s right to apply its own laws. Jacinda has no right to tell another sovereign country how they should treat foreign nationals who commit crimes in their country.

Nothing will stop her though. Punch drunk on her positive international image after the Christchurch massacre, she seems to think she has some divine right to tell everyone what to do. She doesn’t.

The good thing about this is that her true colours have been shown to the Australians, who, until now, have treated her with great reverence and respect. Reports coming out of Australia this weekend are not all complimentary to our dear leader.

So to all Australians (and I know there are a few who read this blog), please accept our apologies for our prime minister’s complete lack of international diplomacy and her self aggrandisement that lets her think that she can tell your country what to do. She may well completely wreck our close relationship, just like David Lange did to relations with the USA, and we will be out in the cold for decades. We really don’t want that.

I just hope that next time we have a major disaster where we need you guys to drop everything and come to our aid, that we have a proper prime minister by then… one that respects the sovereignty of your country and tries to work together with you, rather than split us apart.

For many of us in New Zealand, who have not fallen for the fairy dust she sprinkles around, that day cannot come soon enough. A few Australians can probably understand that now.

 
 

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The Puff Pieces Are Coming Thick and Fast Now

by Christie 
 

Did you ever see the movie “Groundhog Day”? Where exactly the same things happened every day? The hero was caught in some weird time warp, forced to relive the events of one day over and over, until finally, the time warp vanished, and he was set free… into the arms of the woman he loved.

Well, it has been a bit like that here in New Zealand recently and it probably isn’t over yet.

Cheese scones have just come out of the oven, but Ardern and Gayford are quick to confess they didn’t cook them – they were delivered by the previous journalist through Ardern’s door, broadcaster Hilary Barry.
After making herself busy poking around our camera gear Neve has been taken off for a walk and Gayford has disappeared somewhere after making himself a hot drink.

Interesting that the world’s greatest stay-at-home Dad was not the one to take Neve for a walk. Let’s not bother pretending that they don’t have a team of nannies and minders at their beck and call.

The interview is to mark the half-way point in the election cycle for the Ardern government – a catch up and a progress report on what’s been achieved so far, and what might be Labour’s unfinished business.

The thing is, I’m sure I’ve read all this before… very recently. Am I in a time warp? Is Bill Murray on my doorstep?

I covered this article written by Tracy Watkins two days ago… and yet, we have another article by Watkins on the very same topic, on Sunday.

Is there really nothing else to write about? How about the increasing numbers on the dole? The worsening housing crisis? Child poverty reaching new depths?

Following on from Hilary Barry’s sycophantic interview with Jacinda on Seven Sharp last week, it is obvious what is going on. The media are desperate to bolster Jacinda’s ratings, by emphasising her popularity, her role as a mother and how nice and normal she is. Watkins even mentioned how Jacinda was wearing slippers for the interview like no one has ever worn slippers before. There has never been such a deliberate campaign to keep a woeful prime minister in her job.

Every article mentions her pregnancy, the fact that she is only the second premier to give birth while in office (big deal), the Christchurch massacre, and this one also echoes Barry’s interview where questions are asked about Jacinda moving on to greater things.

But Ardern vigorously denies that.

“No, no, no. Absolutely not. No. I didn’t join the Labour Party to do anything other than be involved in politics in New Zealand.

“I joined because I’ve always seen politics as a place where you can do good and where you can make change for New Zealand. And of course regardless of what happens beyond our shores, none of that matters to a New Zealand voter, you know?

“They don’t care. Nor should they. They just want to know what I’m doing for New Zealand.

This is a cynical move to counter those claims that Jacinda has been offered a job at the UN. The media wants to make sure we all know that she has not got too big for her ill-fitting boots, in case her popularity at home starts to wane.

There is a new angle in this puff piece though.

There’s still work to do, for instance, addressing the concerns of the “squeezed middle” – a group that Ardern concedes might be feeling passed over by a Government that has been so focused on so many other priorities; poverty, family health, sexual violence, mental health.
Many feel like they are doing it harder as living costs rise; wages might be rising, but for some, it feels like they’re treading water.

Ardern says the Government has made some moves in their direction – the families package, for instance.
“But I accept there are people who feel those policies may not have touched them in the same way. We know there’s that constant pressure on them. It’s something as a Government that we’re giving continual thought to.”

The families package did little for middle New Zealand. The only thing she can do for them is to give tax cuts… and hell will freeze over before a Labour government does that for ordinary New Zealanders.

If she returns to New York for the next UN General Assembly in September, as she presumably will, balancing her celebrity status against the demands of a domestic audience will be difficult to impossible.

Stuff.


I cannot believe a New Zealand journalist wrote that. She is not a celebrity; she is our prime minister, and she is a very poor one. Tracy Watkins seems to have forgotten that Jacinda gave an impassioned speech to a mostly empty hall last year at the UN.

The article is a long one… a couple of thousand words that show that she is devoid of anything meaningful. It is all about the feels, not the substance.

year-of-delivery-Recovered-1-630x630.gif Cartoon credit SonovaMin

She’s done nothing and promises to deliver even more of it. But hey – there is a glimmer of hope. If the media have to push this hard, her polling must be dreadful. Can’t wait for the next poll, which must be out soon. Why else are we having to suffer this rubbish day after day?

I must go and find that groundhog.

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Ms Ardern asking ''why the sponsors of NZ Netball Ferns''' aren't giving them a bonus.

Simple answer is that Netball NZ couldn't have had that clause in their sponsorship arrangement.

Now concentrate on what you are mean't to be doing.eg lead the country and stop being a ''celebrity''.

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3 hours ago, bloke said:

Well done Crusty you seem to be the ony one who can express an opinion on this thread and not cut & paste  ramblings from alt right wankers  

 

How's your Princess going Bloke?  She is the most useless and dangerous PM this country has ever had. 

What a laughing stock she has made of herself in the trip to Australia. How many of those deported criminals are staying at your place and Taxinda's. You lefties will be looking after them when they are returned here...…….aren't you?  

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8 hours ago, crustyngrizzly said:

Ms Ardern asking ''why the sponsors of NZ Netball Ferns''' aren't giving them a bonus.

Simple answer is that Netball NZ couldn't have had that clause in their sponsorship arrangement.

Now concentrate on what you are mean't to be doing.eg lead the country and stop being a ''celebrity''.

ANZ have put $30m into Netball over the past few years..and could argue they got bugger all for it.

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23 hours ago, crustyngrizzly said:

Ms Ardern asking ''why the sponsors of NZ Netball Ferns''' aren't giving them a bonus.

Simple answer is that Netball NZ couldn't have had that clause in their sponsorship arrangement.

Now concentrate on what you are mean't to be doing.eg lead the country and stop being a ''celebrity''.

You're pushing it up hill Crusty. Is the modern western world voter looking for leaders or celebrities? Look at world politics. USA = Donald Trump. UK = Boris Johnson. France = Young Trendy Macron. Canada = Young Trendy Trudeau. NZ = Jacinda Ardern (elected after being leader of the opposition for 6 weeks) Do you see a pattern you old dinosaur?

And what's the alternative being offered here in NZ................Simon Bridges Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha...................Oh dear wait a minute ha ha ha ha ha ha.........

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7 minutes ago, Uriah Heap said:

You're pushing it up hill Crusty. Is the modern western world voter looking for leaders or celebrities? Look at world politics. USA = Donald Trump. UK = Boris Johnson. France = Young Trendy Macron. Canada = Young Trendy Trudeau. NZ = Jacinda Ardern (elected after being leader of the opposition for 6 weeks) Do you see a pattern you old dinosaur?

And what's the alternative being offered here in NZ................Simon Bridges Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha...................Oh dear wait a minute ha ha ha ha ha ha.........

Couldn't be any more of a moron than that lot could he Uriah......??:rolleyes:

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38 minutes ago, Uriah Heap said:

You're pushing it up hill Crusty. Is the modern western world voter looking for leaders or celebrities? Look at world politics. USA = Donald Trump. UK = Boris Johnson. France = Young Trendy Macron. Canada = Young Trendy Trudeau. NZ = Jacinda Ardern (elected after being leader of the opposition for 6 weeks) Do you see a pattern you old dinosaur?

And what's the alternative being offered here in NZ................Simon Bridges Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha...................Oh dear wait a minute ha ha ha ha ha ha.........

One thing all these ''celebrity'' politicians have achieved is, nothing.

Promise plenty,deliver nothing but poses on magazine covers.

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10 hours ago, crustyngrizzly said:

One thing all these ''celebrity'' politicians have achieved is, nothing.

Promise plenty,deliver nothing but poses on magazine covers.

Probably a wedding coming up just prior to the election next year to garner yet more puff pieces instead of hard questions being asked by the media. She didn't take a commercial flight over to Australia but instead used a NZ Airforce plane to take her fawning media hacks over with her. She also gave an interview over there with only NZ media allowed in. Ask yourself.

The Aussie media are not dumb and they have given her a right going over in the media over there since last week.

 

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The tourist is off yet again.....

Jacinda Is on Another Jaunt

by Christie on July 27, 2019 at 8:00am
 

Jacinda is off to Tokelau this weekend.

New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern will visit Tokelau this weekend.

It’s the first trip to the territory by a prime minister since Helen Clark in 2004 and comes as part of the government’s Pacific Reset strategy.
Announcing details of the trip on Monday, Ms Ardern acknowledged 15 years was a long time.
“Tokelau’s remoteness and perhaps difficulty in accessing it has meant that it’s not had the attention that it deserves. Particularly as it is at significant risk of devastating impacts linked to climate change.”

Jacinda Ardern said she will visit Tokelau’s three atolls and discuss priorities on climate change, health, education and culture.
She will be there until 1 August.

RNZ.


It sounds like a bit of overkill for a tiny, remote island in the Pacific. It may be a long time since anyone has visited, but surely that is because there is little reason to visit, right?

Well, no. Not so if you are Jacinda Ardern. The following excerpt is from March 2018.

Jacinda Ardern’s father Ross Ardern will step down as the High Commissioner to Niue when his tenure ends in May, and has been posted to Tokelau.
The position in Niue would be taken over by diplomat and Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade agriculture development manager Kirk Yates.


Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters said the administrator’s role was to ensure appropriate public services were delivered to New Zealand citizens living in Tokelau, and to help manage the relationship between the two countries.
“Mr Ardern’s experience as a High Commissioner, his extensive understanding of the Pacific, and distinguished career with New Zealand Police make him an ideal candidate for this role and I have no doubt he will make a major contribution to the relationship between New Zealand and Tokelau,” Peters said.

Stuff.


So she is spending 6 days in the Pacific, celebrating her birthday, over the weekend.

So which angle shall we take on this? We could start with the ‘jobs for the boys’ angle, as Ardern Senior was appointed to the role in May last year.

Or we could go with the fact that this time she really is using the RNZAF 757 for what is obviously a personal trip, to get some family time and do very little… which is pretty much all she does anyway.

Can you imagine the howls of rage if John Key had done this? Even if this is a genuine diplomatic trip (which I really doubt) it is all about the look of the thing. She ought to know not to time her trip to coincide with her birthday, which is obviously family time.

But you have to have a competent media to drive that particular point home. And, as our media won’t call her out on this, we will.

Happy birthday, Jacinda. I wish you no ill will personally, but I hope there are not ‘many happy returns’ for you as prime minister. I’d like a prime minister that does some work, for a change.

If we had a decent media and a proper opposition, she would not be getting away with this.

After all, she was holidaying in the Cook Islands only last week. Seriously, how many holidays does this woman need?

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Yup, slow learner alright. 

 

Ardern Still in Training

 
 

By John

Two good articles have appeared this week: Fran O’Sullivan in the Weekend Herald criticising the leader of the Labour party and Matthew Hooton doing the same to the leader of the National party. Neither could be termed complimentary. Far from it.

Let’s look at Fran’s. The headline: Ardern still leaning on training wheels gives a good idea of the direction the article is going to take. Knowing the time it took her to learn how to wrap fish and chips, learning on a cabbage, are we surprised?

Fran first refers to her interview with Jack Tame. To avoid chronic indigestion, knowing who the participants were, I deliberately missed the occasion. According to Fran, Jacinda told Jack she wasn’t able to get the CGT over the line because NZF wouldn’t agree. Fran rightly points out that a more experienced political leader would not have allowed themselves to be boxed into such a corner in the first place. In effect, Winston boxed her ears. Don’t try that again. As noted by Fran she then threw in the towel. She effectively picked up her ball and ran away. Something she has become noted for. Ihumatao and her run to Daddy in Tokelau having signalled possibly a very dangerous precedent when it comes to private property rights.  

Fran says that in Labour’s eagerness to form a coalition with NZF, it did not secure the policies that Ardern campaigned on in 2017 within the Coalition Agreement. With what has happened subsequently that is all too obvious. Another point Fran made was that it is indicative of the position she finds herself in, where her prime ministership is still not so well established that she feels confident to go over the top of the junior coalition partner and appeal to the public to back her. In my view, on the CGT she knew she didn’t have the backing of the public. Whether she would have gone to the public anyway is a moot point.

Fran goes on to say Ardern’s style is in sharp contrast to Helen Clark. Clark described her style as an active chairman of the board – direct, task-focussed, active. On that, we can agree! Ardern hasn’t got the capacity to be a Clark. So far she hasn’t displayed any of those three attributes, ones clearly needed to be a good leader. Evidently however, according to Fran, Jacinda is a mean mimic and while a staffer in Clark’s office when she was PM, learnt to ape Clark’s deep baritone voice perfectly. Wow! Pity she doesn’t use it on Winston.

Fran makes the point that she must negotiate with Winston to get her policies in place and this is confusing for the business sector. I would have added, and the rest of us. She points to the RMA reforms and the fact NZF have not said whether they will support any resultant legislation. Looking at some of the caveats around the reforms I hope they don’t. 

Fran notes that apart from negotiating with NZF, procedurally, Ardern approves the cabinet agenda, leads meetings and is the final arbiter on procedure, can dissolve parliament and call an election (I wish she would), is Minister of the SIS, and also leads a political party and its caucus.

Fran asks if she’s up to it. I hardly think this was supposed to be a joke at the end of the article but one could be forgiven for thinking so. As Fran says – Ardern is still learning – not simply to be a prime minister but also to be a cabinet minister.  Well, I’ve heard of learning on the job but with all due respect this is far removed from the Morrinsville Takeaway. 

Fran concludes by saying that at the halfway mark she is still at the trainer wheels stage when it comes to her prime ministership. The next twelve months will be critical.

I say the next twelve months will be chaotic and the trainer wheels will have fallen off.

The lady needs to get an appointment at the hairdresser, stop using a handbag that looks more suitable for carrying the groceries, smarten up generally and at least look like she’s in charge. In equine parlance, Jacinda hasn’t even got Winston near the water yet, never mind making him drink.

No prizes for guessing who the ringmaster is. 

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On 8/3/2017 at 11:55 AM, Guest said:

It's a thin line between arrogant and smug, and assured.  I think this word describes her well, and I've always voted National

aplomb
əˈplɒm/
noun
 
  1. self-confidence or assurance, especially when in a demanding situation.
    "Diana passed the test with aplomb"
    synonyms: poise, self-assurance, assurance, self-possession, self-confidence, calmness,composure, collectedness, presence of mind, level-headedness, sangfroid, equilibrium,equanimity, nerve, nonchalance; More
     
     
     

Here is an interesting article about definitions

https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/boris-johnson-donald-trump-white-male-privilege_uk_5d3ae0c6e4b0ef792e0b07bd?utm_hp_ref=uk-homepage

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Ted any newly elected PM should be required to surrender their passport. Regardless of political hue they think they have morphed into a world leader! In actual fact they are the political equivalent of a Mayor of an average size overseas city.

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A Picture Paints a Thousand Words

by Christie 
 

This weekend, I came across a couple of photos that really sum up our dreadful government, and both made me despair. We have now gone from being governed by a group of smart and competent politicians to being controlled by a bunch of clowns.

Let’s start with this photo, shall we?

The-Squad-2.jpg The Squad

Here we have four members of our government, all of them MPs in a party supporting the government, (one of whom is a co-leader of that party) who are flying the Maori flag. Not the New Zealand flag, but the Maori flag. It is important to note this, because the Maori flag (Tino Rangatiratanga ) is used to represent all Maori. But these ladies, affectionately known as The Squad, like their sisters in the USA who have been accused by President Trump of being anti-American, actually represent all New Zealanders. Not that you would know it.

They are also supporting a protest movement that is acting in defiance of land ownership rights and, if it is successful, will undermine every Treaty settlement that has been made to date.

So, I have to ask… why would these MPs stand in protest of land ownership rights that are enforceable by law and why would they want to undermine all existing Treaty settlements? Aren’t our MPs supposed to uphold the law and stand by the decisions of the government? And if they don’t agree with something their own government is doing, why don’t they use the appropriate channels, instead of publicly standing up against their own government?

The second photo is this:

Jacinda-in-Tokelau.jpg

This photo was taken this weekend, while Jacinda was in Tokelau with her father and, no doubt, other family members.

It is not a great picture, is it?

Jacinda looks gaunt, Ross Ardern looks worried and the overall mood in the photo is sombre. This is not exactly a happy family shot at a birthday celebration, is it?

Now, we’ve all had photos taken when we are not looking our best, but this one captures the mood of this government. Jacinda dashed off to her birthday celebrations in Tokelau after dropping an unexploded bomb on the matter at Ihumatao by saying that building work would be halted while the protest continued. In other words, she has just given protesters precedence over private land ownership rights. The law, it seems, means nothing to anyone in our government.

This government has basically come down on the side of thugs.

Jacinda does not look happy, though. There is also something else wrong with the photo. Where is her engagement ring?

There has been something off-key about this whole engagement saga. She was very coy about the matter when it was announced which is unusual for her because, normally, she takes every opportunity to bask in the limelight… but not over this.

I can’t help feeling that this engagement is a sham, which she may intend to use as a publicity stunt at some point once her dreadful government’s polling starts to fall.

Whatever else you can say about our government, they are not presenting a particularly united front at the moment. And, if the prime minister’s face is anything to go by, there are not a lot of happy campers in this government either.

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T2Y5JQVKAVFDTHZJGVOY4IX22M-1-768x512.jpg Ngapuhi elder David Rankin PICTURE / DEAN PURCELL

[…] After previously saying the government would not intervene, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern vowed on Friday that no building would take place at Ihumatao while a solution was being sought.

A senior member of the iwi, Mr Rankin said he would lodge a complaint with police that the Prime Minister used her position to interfere in a legal transaction and as a consequence would deprive the iwi of dozens of homes which Fletchers had contracted to provide to the mana whenua.


“I don’t take this action lightly,” he said, “but the Prime Minister has directly interfered in a legally valid arrangement, and at great cost to the iwi”.

“First, she destroyed KiwiBuild, and now she is destroying Iwi build. Fletchers have agreed to provide 40 houses to our people, which is exactly 40 more houses than the Labour government has managed to provide to us.”
Mr Rankin admitted the complaint would make him unpopular, but said there was a bigger issue at stake.
“Ms Ardern has breached the kawa of our hapu, and her actions will leave some of our old people without houses. This is intolerable, and also breaches the law.”

newsie.co.nz/news/157823-ihumtao-senior-iwi-member-rankin-to-complain-over-pm-jacinda-ardern-interference

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Jacinda Stops Media Talking About Ihumatao

by Christie 
 

Oh dear. You know you are in trouble when your office tries to shut down the media, who are asking perfectly legitimate questions about an issue that is currently at the forefront of the news.

Jacinda Ardern has personally tried to prevent media from asking about the Ihumatao dispute while on a charm offensive in the Pacific.

Her staff threatened journalists with restricted access to the PM if they did, forcing her Beehive team to intervene from Wellington. 

This is as bad as it is ever going to get. The most ‘open and transparent government’ has turned the dogs on the media for asking legitimate questions about the Ihumatao affair, which is currently a hot topic in this country.

Correct me if I am wrong, but I cannot recall a similar incident with any prime minister in living memory. This sort of thing is a death knell to her popularity. And Jacinda’s popularity has just seen a 4% drop in the latest One News poll.

After crisis calls from the capital, media were allowed a second shot. 

In other words, she was told to pull her head in.

Ardern says she’s not worried about the protests escalating. 
“Regardless of what’s happening domestically or locally we have a great team that pick up the reigns [sic] when offshore,” 

Newshub.


Gosh, Jacinda… who would that be? Kelvin Davis, who is in charge this week? Phil Twyford? Megan Woods? Kris Faafoi, one of the few competent ministers in this government is also on the Tokelau trip, so it can’t be him. Who else is competent enough to actually handle this?

The pressure is starting to show with Jacinda. She is starting to believe her own hype. She thinks she can threaten the media and they will still be nice to her. They won’t.

Watch her popularity disappear like a snowball in a microwave after this.

Newshub has been a huge supporter of Jacinda Ardern. They have promoted her agenda relentlessly. Tova O’Brien, with her apparent hatred of Simon Bridges, has been a fawning advocate. Jacinda has just made the enormous mistake of taking it all for granted.

Here is the friendly face of one of Jacinda’s staff. Looks like a lovely lady.

Jacindas-press-team.png

I don’t know about you, but I think Jacinda really is starting to crack. Her charm offensive just fell apart. Watch this space; things may get really ugly.

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1 hour ago, crustyngrizzly said:

You are 100% correct on Tova O'Brien.She can't hide her hatred for him.

Jacinda is becoing like our All Black coaches and players.Say nice things or you will have nothing to say because we will deny you access.

Spot on. I gave them a spray about it a while back, we had just got rid of Mr Potato Head Gower and replaced him with her.

Quietened down for a while but leopards don't change their spots.

Media reporting in NZ generally is at a pathetically low level.

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11 minutes ago, Ohokaman said:

Spot on. I gave them a spray about it a while back, we had just got rid of Mr Potato Head Gower and replaced him with her.

Quietened down for a while but leopards don't change their spots.

Media reporting in NZ generally is at a pathetically low level.

And lets not forget who her real press secretary is . Stuff's own Tracey

 

Greg

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There are plenty of right wing commentators in the media. The Prize Wanker "Hoskings" who Ted sets his alarm for every morning prior to taking his medication. You cannot get more biased than Hoskings.

There is also Sean Plunkett, Peter Williams, Mark Richardson, Duncan Garner. The list goes on. Its funny how right wingers go on about free speech but its only when they agree with it. Ted gets all of his cut and pastes from right wing web sites like Whale Oil which was infamous for Cameron Slater, now bankrupt after facing slander litigation.

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