Is the political worm turning at the Herald?

In politics, as in all spheres of life, timing is everything. Take the report into manufacturing released yesterday by the Labour, Greens, New Zealand First and Mana parties. When their inquiry began last October, times were uncommonly tough in the sector. Just last Friday, however, the latest BNZ-Business NZ performance of manufacturing index indicated that it was expanding at its fastest rate since 2003, and at one of the world’s highest rates. Equally, a tumbling exchange rate has eased many of the sector’s woes. In that context, the report’s talk of the killing of manufacturing seemed lame at best.

It smacked of a strategic retreat, a once over lightly, get it out of the way kind of report, that in a weeks time after the recess will be barely mentioned.  Read more »

Even in Victorian times politicians were rooters.

A New Zealand author claims in a new book that her grandmother was former British prime minister Benjamin Disraeli’s love child, whose existence was hidden to prevent a scandal in Victorian high society.

Writer Catherine Styles says a note attached to Disraeli’s will supports her contention that the two-time Conservative prime minister, a favourite of Queen Victoria, fathered an illegitimate child in London in 1866, when he was 61.

Styles, 76, says in her book Disraeli’s Daughter that the baby was her grandmother Catherine Donovan, who eventually settled in New Zealand.  Read more »

Lianne Dalziel may be on the opposite side of the political spectrum from me, and a bit fond of the bottle but she has a reputation in Christchurch for being able to work across partisan lines.

It is obvious that Christchurch is a mess, the council is dysfunctional and the Bob and Tony team are widely loathed by just about everyone. Christchurch needs a uniter, not a divider,  and the word is that National would far rather deal with Lianne and the competent councillors she is bringing with her than Bob Parker.

Labour MP Lianne Dalziel is set to enter the Christchurch mayoral race, Fairfax Media understands.

The Christchurch East MP has long been rumoured as the favourite to challenge incumbent Bob Parker for the mayoral chains, following her high-profile role as Labour’s earthquake recovery spokeswoman, and criticism of the current council.

Her declaration is expected later this week.  Read more »

There has been a lot of commentary about Truth and my editorship…I have been humbled by some of the comments, emails and phone calls. Thank you. But wait till you see some of the gloating too…you would think that the left wing commentators and bloggers who are gloating might have a heart for the good staff who now don’t have jobs while they dance forlornly upon my grave, so eager are they to put the boot in.

First up there is the good:

@Whaleoil you definitely made truth a lot more newsworthy and talked about during your editorship Cameron. And it’s no small thing.

— Alastair Thompson (@althecat) June 17, 2013

@Whaleoil Bummer. You did a good job personally. But the paper couldn’t live with the porn section, or without it. — Russell Brown (@publicaddress) June 17, 2013

@Whaleoil Kudos 4 giving it a go, Whale. — Mark Hubbard (@MarkHubbard33) June 17, 2013

@Whaleoil commiserations Cameron. you gave it your best shot. — Ruth Laugesen (@RuthLaugesen) June 17, 2013

Feel pretty sorry for @whaleoil. No, really. Losing Truth is a blow however you look at it. — Joshua Drummond (@cakeburger)
June 17, 2013

So it’s farewell to The Truth. http://t.co/tP2JgvpqwK Before you gloat too much, spare a thought for the staff who will be out of a job

— Imperator Fish (@ImperatorFish) June 17, 2013

Read more »

Another ripper of an interview from David Shearer on Newstalk ZB last night.

1 – He has no idea if Lianne Dalziel is going to resign (by-election) and run for Christchurch mayor.

2 – He has no idea that Mediaworks has repaid its loan (BTW it’s Ironbridge not Stonebridge)  Read more »

Sources inside Labour HQ are saying that Moira Coatesworth has failed to raise money so Labour are very nervous about more by elections.

They are pessimistic about Labour having enough funds for the 2014 election because the unions are all broke or don’t want to waste money on a dud leader.

Unlike Fat Tony, Moira has not learned how to smooze businessmen so they hold still long enough to be shaken down.  Read more »

I was on the Huddle last night, with Josie Pagani.

Our topics so far are:

First up Mediaworks goes into receivership but manages to survive – AGAIN – I’m not sure how they manage it but they do. It’s not looking too peachy keen though on the IRD bill number. It looks like  they’re not going to get off that one.

Then we’ve got the report on the “manufacturing crisis”. Unfortunately the release of this has coincided with manufacturing numbers hitting a nine year high and consumer confidence also hitting a three year high, and the dollar’s been going in the right direction for a change. So would these suggestions actually help right now, or are they things which are being done anyway and the impact is being felt…(not all of the recommendations of course)

Read more »

Men who bash women, either physically, financially, emotionally or mentally are gutless cowards. Dead beat dads are almost as low as spousal abusers…sometimes they are both.

Images of Charles Saatchi apparently throttling Nigella Lawson challenge our clichéd ideas about domestic violence, says Anna Maxted

Nigella Lawson, handsome, clever, rich, who seems to unite some of the best blessings of existence, isn’t the sort of woman we expect to get hit by her husband. And yet, here we are, gawking at photographs which apparently show Charles Saatchi with his hands around our heroine’s throat, and her obvious, chilling terror.

How fortunate for him that it took place in a posh restaurant, where everyone was too polite to intervene. One can’t help but wonder, if this is the public face, what he might dare do in the privacy of their luxury home.  Read more »

Charles Saatchi could learn a valuable lesson on the end of a rope, it might give him a bit of perspective about how strangulation feels.

It’s still not ok.

http://www.areyouok.org.nz/home.php

https://womensrefuge.org.nz/WR/Home/Home.htm

Proverbs 18

¹⁴The human spirit can endure a sick body, but who can bear a crushed spirit?