O blog, how I have let thee languish
It was a good day today. In the morning I continued to learn to edit. The book I’m working on is quite hard going and full of academia-speak. At lunchtime I went out with a happy little crew and a mini-DV camera. We recorded a couple of dozen vox pops, asking people what they’d do if they were given $60 a week to make the world a better place. I think we got a lot of good footage. This is for giveitup.org.nz, which ought to be live by the start of September. In the evening, Eliza and Isis and I went to Drinking Liberally to hear Trevor Mallard speak. He made a good impression on us (at least on Eliza and I — Isis wasn’t paying a lot of attention). He was down to earth. He wasn’t always on message. He wants to do what’s right for New Zealand workers. He thought the carbon tax would have been a better solution than the ETS, but that politically its moment had passed. My mabo: he is a good person to have in parliament.
5 responses to “O blog, how I have let thee languish”
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I really respect Mallard’s unique hands-on approach which he brings to question time in Parliament ie rather than wasting his words, he just pummels his opponents into agreement.
Sorry Matt
Trevor Mallard a “good person to have in parliament”? Good for what? Good – how?
– frequently rude to all and sundry, whether in Parliament (abusing privilege), or on radio (beer bottle incident)
– punchup with fellow MP
– left his wife of 33yrs
When you hear him speak in Parliament, he’s more like a rabid attack dog – all bark and bite – and little truth or substance
Sorry, not much respect for Trevor Mallard here.
I’ve come to the conclusion most politicians are a sorry lot. I did respect Don Brash for a while – he seemed a good honest guy, wanted to do the right thing, but just wasn’t up to the rigours of the job. I respected Rod Donald when he was around. I enjoyed reading about John Key’s background in the papers.
Rudy
Trevor Mallard came to talk to the students at my high school. We filled the AV room and he turned a chair backwards to sit on it, straddling. This was before it was uncool to be obese and the image has never left my mind.
Shudder.
Rudmer: good because I think he wants to do what’s right for New Zealanders. I meant a good person to be in government, rather than particularly good in the debating chamber. It’s true I don’t know very much about him – I didn’t know he left his wife. Most of my impression comes from this one meeting, and from having dinner with one of his staff a few weeks ago.
Have you read the Sunday Star Times article on Don Brash from a couple of months ago? (Not to mention Hagar’s book (which I haven’t (yet) read).) He comes across as a rather sad individual who was convinced to hide his real program for NZ.
RDB, alas, that image was in my mind for his whole talk too. Thanks a lot. He seems to be pretty trim these days.
Hi Matt
Call me a cynic, but methinks Mallard wants to do whatever’s right for himself, then the Labour party, and then – if he’s got time – maybe something for the plebs.
Re: Brash I did read the article. Shame really, since he was by all accounts a good governor at the Reserve Bank in his day.
Rudy