About
Contact
Advertise

Facebook
Twitter

July 5, 2013 8:00am by Kokila Patel

General Debate 5 July 2013

Email
Facebook
Twitter
Comment160

Uncategorized
General Debate

Comments (160)

Login to comment or vote

liarbors a joke

Hopefully the tide is about to turn..

http://1law4all.co.nz/2013/07/05/time-to-rebel/
1 0
Log in to Reply
Report
July 5, 2013 1:49pm
SPC

bhudson, I am expecting … I may have known at the time, but did not realise what it was that I knew … and then I forgot that I knew it, so when I was later in a position to realise the importance of what I once knew I no longer knew it.
1 0
Log in to Reply
Report
July 5, 2013 1:50pm
bhudson

Appointing a list MP to have oversight of an area is not onerous on a week to week basis.

Certainly in my experience with National members the List MPs take their electorate involvement extremely seriously and, in terms of effort, treat it very much the same as if they were an electorate MP.

Perhaps those in other parties take it less seriously. Or have a different work ethic.
1 0
Log in to Reply
Report
July 5, 2013 1:51pm
bhudson

@SPC,

I fear your expectations will be dashed
1 0
Log in to Reply
Report
July 5, 2013 1:53pm
SPC

bhudson, list MP’s can live in Wellington with their families. And given they have no electorates to go to each week, that could mean 7 days most weeks in the same home as the children – very few but Wellington region electorate MP’s have that.
1 0
Log in to Reply
Report
July 5, 2013 1:53pm
SPC

You hope … my expectations will be dashed.
1 0
Log in to Reply
Report
July 5, 2013 1:54pm
SPC

bhudson, so you are claiming the work ethic expected of women list MPs in National is days each week apart from the children – and this is why only 25% of its MP’s are women?
0 1
Log in to Reply
Report
July 5, 2013 1:56pm
Left Right and Centre

Weihana 12:01 pm Interesting points you raise. Michael Laws in Hawkes Bay was a good example of a politician who won his seat again despite a turning of the political tides. He did so by apparently working hard for the people of his electorate, making a deliberate effort to take an active involvement with the locals. The candidate can make a difference to vote counts.

I don’t disagree with you at all. It’s conjecture though. Could very well be cronyism going in to some degree… or not… who knows? Does cronyism amount to gender-discrimination though? You might be a man or a woman who loses out to someone enjoying preferential treatment. It could be a woman who benefits too. And with Labour they’re talking about making it an official policy. Discrimination goes on all over the place, towards men and women in different scenarios… it’s just not official.

Maybe that’s makes this issue difficult… what’s the criteria for being the ‘best’ candidate? Purely subjective. But we all know on some level who’s good and who just sucks shit. I was watching Jacinda Ardern on TV… and over time I’ve changed my opinion about her in at least one way…. because I watched her rattling off point after point after point holding up her end of a typical back and forth nicely and I thought yeah, I can see why she’s ‘made it’. She’s clearly not a moron and she seemed to know her stuff. For example.
1 0
Log in to Reply
Report
July 5, 2013 2:00pm
bhudson

list MP’s can live in Wellington with their families. And given they have no electorates to go to each week, that could mean 7 days most weeks in the same home as the children

Name those that do so.

List MPs from outside of Wellington also return to their home electorates at the end of each sitting week. The problem you raised exists for List MPs also.

so you are claiming the work ethic expected of women list MPs in National is days each week apart from the children – and this is why only 25% of its MP’s are women?

No.

I am saying that my experience with National members is that they have a high work ethic. Are saying yours with MPs from other parties is that they don’t?

You hope … my expectations will be dashed.

I am as certain as anyone without inside information can be. I think you are the one living in hope.
1 0
Log in to Reply
Report
July 5, 2013 2:01pm
Tauhei Notts

John Key has said that did not know of Kim Dotcom until the day before the police raid.
Please go back to Viking2’s post at 12,17 p.m. It categorically states that if John Key did not know of Kim Dotcom before 11th January 2011, then John Key is too dumb to run our country.
But John Key is our best prime minister, except that in this matter he has been reckless with truth.
1 1
Log in to Reply
Report
July 5, 2013 2:08pm
SPC

bhudson, if you have no need to hope because you have inside information – why say you fear … . Those who fear are without hope.

er you do realise that a list MP has no home electorate.

Are you saying that National list MP’s are claiming to “shadow” represent an electorate so they can claim an accommodation allowance for living in Wellington? And this is called working hard for the taxpayer …
2 0
Log in to Reply
Report
July 5, 2013 2:18pm
Left Right and Centre

Weihana 12:27 pm ….errr…. not that I really give a shit… but does it really look like I’ve said that ‘things are the way they are’ equals ‘right’? Can’t see it myself. But thanks for the logical argument fallacy link. Well done.

You want there to be equal numbers of criminals, men and women? How do you want to achieve that? Do you want less male criminals or more female criminals?

The number that can’t be socially engineered in either case the ratio of men:women who want to participate in the activity. So.. crimes might be split 10:1, quality potential aspiring political candidate hopefuls might be split… who knows… 3:1? 5:1?

And society encourages high achieving *people* and discourages people who are *criminals*. High achievers ‘good’, criminals ‘bad’. But then there is no ‘good’ or ‘bad’… or anything.. or is there? Those are just machinations of the human mind. Because you very quickly find yourself in existential paralysis.
2 0
Log in to Reply
Report
July 5, 2013 2:40pm
bhudson

er you do realise that a list MP has no home electorate.

That was a reference to the electorate in which they normally reside (prior to their election via the List.) List MPs return to those locations at the end of the sitting week, just as Electorate MPs do – They have not, as you claimed they would, shifted their normal residency to Wellington.

Are you saying that National list MP’s are claiming to “shadow” represent an electorate so they can claim an accommodation allowance for living in Wellington?

No.
1 0
Log in to Reply
Report
July 5, 2013 3:07pm
Colville

Why cant a female list MP move down to Wellington for 3 yrs with family in tow?
Its what a man would do for a desirable job.

(I took out the word decent and replaced it with desirable coz is being an MP a job you would actually want?)
1 0
Log in to Reply
Report
July 5, 2013 3:16pm
Viking2

Here’s use of new technology that will blow your mind when you start to think about the possibilities.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/science/8883531/Heroic-act-spurs-new-cast-tech

Amazing thinking by a Kiwi right at home in Wellington.

Big ups this guy.
2 1
Log in to Reply
Report
July 5, 2013 3:24pm
Kea

wikiriwhis business @ 1:19 pm, I think Bush could probably avoid the rope for his war crimes, but Obama should hang for sure. Handing him over would do wonders for world peace and restore the credibility of the US.
1 0
Log in to Reply
Report
July 5, 2013 3:29pm
Pete George

Colville, you make a pertinent point. One of the biggest difficulties in getting more women into Parliament is that most people, especially women, think it would be a shit of a job. Very demanding on your time and your privacy. And you open yourself up to horrific levels of criticism and absue and often nastiness. And that’s just within some parties, it’s worse from the media and public.
1 0
Log in to Reply
Report
July 5, 2013 3:30pm
Manolo

The Frog president is caught: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2356178/Hollandes-hypocrisy-Edward-Snowden-revelations-revealed-French-intelligence-services-spy-illegally.html
0 0
Log in to Reply
Report
July 5, 2013 4:08pm
Weihana

Left Right and Centre (905) Says:
July 5th, 2013 at 2:40 pm

Weihana 12:27 pm ….errr…. not that I really give a shit… but does it really look like I’ve said that ‘things are the way they are’ equals ‘right’? Can’t see it myself. But thanks for the logical argument fallacy link. Well done.

Seems that way to me but I guess I’ve missed the point.

You want there to be equal numbers of criminals, men and women? How do you want to achieve that? Do you want less male criminals or more female criminals?

The point I’m getting at is not really about criminals, but it’s whether this natural situation we find ourselves in requires intervention to produce a better outcome. Would we be better off with more women in power? How about we try just one term with all women representatives? 🙂
1 0
Log in to Reply
Report
July 5, 2013 4:28pm
SPC

bhudson, why have they not shifted to Wellington, if they are list and this is their place of work?

Because they can claim the accommodation allowance if they do not?
1 1
Log in to Reply
Report
July 5, 2013 5:12pm
bhudson

Because they can claim the accommodation allowance if they do not?

No. (Not from any party)

Perhaps it is because they aspire to represent an area that they remain there, outside of parliamentary sitting hours – to continue to work for their communities; to provide value to the constituents there.

Certainly they are not required to relocate their primary residence to Wellington. It is not a rort not to; it is simply that none of them are required to.

An MPs role is not fully defined; it certainly is not prescribed in deep detail in law. Wellington is not defined as their sole place of work. If anything it is presumed to be only one of their places of work and one they only have to be at for part of the working week and year.

A change to Labour’s selection rules would change that not a whit. You would have the same number of MPs, based across the same broad geographical spread and enduring the same hours and time away from home.

According to your theory of cause & effect, that change therefore would not actually help to increase the number of women MPs
1 0
Log in to Reply
Report
July 5, 2013 5:34pm
Viking2

The answer to Aucklands transport problems. I can see these running from mountain to mountain and from shore to shore.

http://mashable.com/2013/07/03/urban-gondolas/
2 0
Log in to Reply
Report
July 5, 2013 5:46pm
publicwatchdog

Hi Kiwibloggers!

Seen this?

https://www.facebook.com/events/384259328352958/

Saturday 6 July 2013
Outside Smith and Caugheys
253-261 Queen St Assetkeepers Auckland

12:00pm until 1:00pm

Chance of Rain 61°F / 55°F

Smith and Caughey’s have asked Auckland City Council to ban all beggars from the streets. We’re going to beg Smith and Caughey’s to leave the beggars alone. Bring a sign to beg with, but beware the Millionaires Against Moochers, dressed to impress with top hats or formal gowns who may try to sweep us all under the carpet and out of their sight.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=10894464
___________________________________________________________________________________________________

I’ll be there. This is not the first time that corporate-controlled Auckland Council has attempted to deny the lawful rights of citizens to what I consider to be ‘freedom of expression’.

As an Auckland Mayoral candidate – I support those who are amongst the most marginalised of the 99%, who choose to make the world aware of their plight through signage and some container for those who care and are able to make personal donations to help them.

As one of the two successful Appellants in the Occupy Auckland vs Auckland Council Appeal – I am prepared to help challenge the ‘legality’ of Auckland Council’s proposed by-law, by raising this matter directly with Council.

From where have Auckland Council been getting ‘legal’ advice on this matter?

From their, (in my considered opinion) unprofessional and incompetent General Counsel, Wendy Brandon, who has proven to be a LIAR (over the amount of Auckland Council public monies that were spent on Occupy Auckland legal proceedings)?

http://www.occupyaucklandvsa/ ucklandcouncilappeal.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/OCCUPY-AUCKLAND-APPEAL-APPLICATION-BY-APPELLANT-BRIGHT-TO-ADDUCE-

Penny Bright

‘Anti-corruption / anti-privatisation’ campaign

2013 Auckland Mayoral candidate
1 7
Log in to Reply
Report
July 5, 2013 5:48pm
Pete George

Winston Peters on mind altering substances – he wants them all banned. Except for the ones he uses of course.
2 0
Log in to Reply
Report
July 5, 2013 5:52pm
RF

Thumbs up to Judge Jane Farish who presided over the Pike River Trial. Gave her verdict today. Not many would have known that Jane’s partner was Adrian Mayberry who was killed in a chopper crash a few years ago. The coroner released the verdict in Adrian’s inquest today. A tough day for Jane and it showed. A lovely lady and I wish her well.
1 0
Log in to Reply
Report
July 5, 2013 6:10pm
SPC

bhudson, given MP’s had always been electorate MP’s of course Wellington was not their sole place of work. But for list MP’s (since 1996) it is the only identifiable place of work.

Personally I do not support an accommodation allowance for list MP’s. I also think anyone on a Cabinet salary can afford a home in Wellington and in the electorate without any accommodation allowance. I would of course restrict it to only electorate MP’s on that level of pay. In the private sector partners are expected to both move to the partners job location and if not the employer does not pay extra for the upkeep of two houses.

I would presume that women list MP’s with children live with them in Wellington and that some have partners who live with them and others have partners who stay in their old residence. Whereas men on the list leave the wife at home with the children and return to them each weekend. But for the women list MP’s with “away” partners the husband might go to Wellington some weekends and vice versa.

We were of course discussing why being an MP is less attractive to women with children. Particularly being an electorate MP, because that necessitates living in two different places most weeks. I fail to be convinced that women list MP’s with children do this when their job does not require it of them.

As for Labour’s proposal – they note the real problem is the small number of electorate MP’s who are women. And this is where the proposal is focused, not on list MP’s. Given the differences between their roles this is unsurprising. However the problem is lack of supply of women candidates because of the demands of the job. This means that it is a job for the younger woman yet to have children or one who has older children at the boarding at home age.

The most radical option is to have two MP’s on a ticket, one the electorate MP the other the parliamentary MP. This not only reduces the workload, it also reduces the need for the accommodation allowance.
1 0
Log in to Reply
Report
July 5, 2013 6:21pm
Pauleastbay

Dear South Africa

That unpleasant smell that is assailing your nostrils is Nelson decomposing , just saying.
4 0
Log in to Reply
Report
July 5, 2013 6:21pm
Pete George

Speculation is growing:

@CampbellLiveNZ

Tonight at seven, exclusively, we have a major announcement from one of the most high profile figures in New Zealand politics.

@JohnJCampbell

Tonight, exclusively, a (surprise) major announcement from one of New Zealand’s highest profile politicians. Please join us at seven

@jsellwood

The political landscape is about to shaken – an exclusive announcement campbell live tonight!
2 0
Log in to Reply
Report
July 5, 2013 6:30pm
nasska

Breaking news concerning Nelson Mandela….

He has a new sponsorship deal from Duracell.
5 0
Log in to Reply
Report
July 5, 2013 6:31pm
bhudson

As for Labour’s proposal – they note the real problem is the small number of electorate MP’s who are women. And this is where the proposal is focused, not on list MP’s.

Actually the reason they are focusing on electorates will be that (with possibly a very small number of exceptions) they will require candidates to be standing for an electorate in order to get a higher list ranking. Therefore the way for them to address the number of woman Labour MPs is to have more women electorate candidates (those that fail to win their seats may still have very reasonable prospects of making it in on the List.

(Either that or that are to at all confident on getting much of the Party Vote next year and so are effectively telling women the only hope they have is to win an electorate!)
1 0
Log in to Reply
Report
July 5, 2013 6:37pm
Pauleastbay

Speculation is growing:

Pete,
new hair style?

or is Dunne making himself available to all and sundry to be a minister after next years election
1 0
Log in to Reply
Report
July 5, 2013 6:54pm
bhudson

It’ll be as flat as a flan if it is only Annette King announcing she will contest the Wellington mayoralty this year
1 0
Log in to Reply
Report
July 5, 2013 6:57pm
SPC

Bob Jones is re-establishing the New Zealand Party and running an all woman list.
2 0
Log in to Reply
Report
July 5, 2013 7:00pm
SPC

It’s another Bob not standing for Mayor this time around …
1 0
Log in to Reply
Report
July 5, 2013 7:02pm
bhudson

^^ Haha.

So it is just Bob Parker deciding not to sand again.

And now back to Tour de France highlights
1 0
Log in to Reply
Report
July 5, 2013 7:02pm
Pauleastbay

highest profile politicians

I’ve told you a milllion times not to exaggerate.
1 0
Log in to Reply
Report
July 5, 2013 7:03pm
Manolo

Not the brightest bulb:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRIVf4jVNUM
3 0
Log in to Reply
Report
July 5, 2013 7:07pm
nasska

Keeping America safe. 🙂

Ref: https://www.dropbox.com/s/qj6s0ey21g04oey/my_first_cavity_search.jpg
1 0
Log in to Reply
Report
July 5, 2013 7:37pm
nasska

A man was beaten up by robbers on the road. He lay on the side of the road, half dead.

An atheist came along, saw him and passed by on the other side.

An agnostic came by and also crossed to the other side.

Finally, a modern Christian came along, looked at the man and said: “Whoever did this to you needs help.
3 1
Log in to Reply
Report
July 5, 2013 8:01pm
Kea

Keeping America safe.

nasska, the Obama regime seems to have a thing with anal violation.

http://rt.com/news/guantanamo-strike-sex-abuse-675/
2 0
Log in to Reply
Report
July 5, 2013 8:08pm
nasska

Going by the contributions of the local proponent of all things conservative during the past couple of days, the fetish may be contagious Kea. 🙂
1 0
Log in to Reply
Report
July 5, 2013 8:13pm
Kea

When a ship spills a bit of oil and some birds get coated in it, we are told it is an epic disaster. Pictures of oily birds are front page news. But millions of birds are killed annually by useless windmills putting out small and infrequent amount of uneconomic power, yet we never see it on the front page.

More than 573,000 birds are killed by the country’s wind farms each year, including 83,000 hunting birds such as hawks, falcons and eagles, according to an estimate published in March in the peer-reviewed Wildlife Society Bulletin.

Exxon Mobil had pleaded guilty and would pay $600,000 for killing 85 birds in five states,

Wind power, a pollution-free energy intended to ease global warming, is a cornerstone of President Barack Obama’s energy plan. His administration has championed a $1 billion-a-year tax break to the industry that has nearly doubled the amount of wind power in his first term.

The result is a green industry that’s allowed to do not-so-green things. It kills protected species with impunity and conceals the environmental consequences of sprawling wind farms.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/14/wind-farms-bird-deaths_n_3270691.html
2 0
Log in to Reply
Report
July 5, 2013 8:24pm
Kea

nasska , Red told me girls are for sissies. 🙂
2 0
Log in to Reply
Report
July 5, 2013 8:27pm
nasska

You are confusing the Red Greens with the Tree Hugger Greens Kea. The former will merely write off 600K dead endangered birds as collateral damage in the struggle for commie world government.

It actually highlights the schizophrenic nature of Green politics. The Karori housewife backs the wankers because she wants to save little fluffy kiwis & penguins…..the political Greens take her money & vote then use them to turn NZ into a new Cuba.

It’s all very strange.
2 0
Log in to Reply
Report
July 5, 2013 8:31pm
nasska

…..”Red told me girls are for sissies”…..

He thinks they’re okay but he prefers the real thing. 🙂
1 0
Log in to Reply
Report
July 5, 2013 8:33pm
Kea

The Renewable Energy Disaster

It is a mathematically provable fact that you cannot replace oil, coal, and natural gas with windmills, solar panels, and biofuels. Hobbits may be able to live poetically, generating energy from the wind, the sun, and the soil. Real human beings living in an industrialized civilization need highly concentrated nonrenewable energy sources to survive. Renewable energy schemes other than hydroelectric and geothermal power are resource hogs that take up huge amounts of space while providing very little usable energy in return. Contrary to popular belief, solar, wind, wave energy, and biofuel schemes are not “energy efficient,” and their ultra-high cost is an accurate measurement of that inherent inefficiency. If they were efficient they would cost less than using fossil fuels, not dramatically more than using fossil fuels.

http://renewable.50webs.com/
2 1
Log in to Reply
Report
July 5, 2013 8:33pm
Judith

Pete George (18,174) Says:
July 5th, 2013 at 5:52 pm
Winston Peters on mind altering substances – he wants them all banned. Except for the ones he uses of course.
——————————————-

That raises an interesting issue – if your mind is already ‘altered’, would taking those substances make it normal again?

We should test them on some of our politicians, there might actually be an improvement.
1 3
Log in to Reply
Report
July 5, 2013 8:35pm
Judith

@ Kea

Hobbits may be able to live poetically, generating energy from… wind…

Are you talking about Red?
0 2
Log in to Reply
Report
July 5, 2013 8:38pm
Tauhei Notts

Nasska at 8.01. Brilliant.
But I cannot repeat the story as most of my friends were asleep during divinity classes, and it would go over their heads.
They think a good bastard from Samaria is a Jordanian import that scores lots of goals for FC Barcelona.
1 0
Log in to Reply
Report
July 5, 2013 8:40pm
Kea

nasska, when I achieve world domination, my vast fleets of coal fired whaling boats will provide jobs for the masses, as will my network of coal fired dolphin rendering plants. I will build a bright new future based on our abundant natural resource of organic fuels. I want to see coal fired everything, even mobile phones can be charged using a little portable coal generator. The possibilities are endless 🙂
2 0
Log in to Reply
Report
July 5, 2013 8:42pm
nasska

Judith

I can understand Peters coming out against any loosening of the drug laws as the stupid old fools that keep him alive politically wouldn’t know the difference between ecstasy & a suppository. The same blind ignorance is surprising when displayed within centre right & centre left parties.

Ref: https://www.dropbox.com/s/x931gndvgveuycn/Drug_danger_and_dependence.png
1 0
Log in to Reply
Report
July 5, 2013 8:43pm
nasska

Tauhei Notts

I had the dubious benefit of a few years attendance at a religious boarding school many years back. The mind numbing tedium of chapel once a day & twice on the Sabbath finally comes into use on an irregular basis. 🙂
1 0
Log in to Reply
Report
July 5, 2013 8:49pm
Judith

nasska (6,845) Says:
July 5th, 2013 at 8:43 pm
———————————–

Interesting chart, but yes your are right – mention the word ‘drugs’ and immediately there is panic. It’s appealing to the ’emotive’ vote. Unfortunately the next election will probably be won by the team that can appeal to the ’emotional fears’ of the blind majority.

I spoke to a young woman today that won’t be voting for National at the next election if they allow TV3 to loose the Home and Away contract! There is no hope – we are all doomed!! 🙂
1 2
Log in to Reply
Report
July 5, 2013 8:50pm
Kea

I am anti most drugs, but the fact his everyone who wants to do them already is. The reason I did not use drugs today was not the law, but because I did not want to and I did not want to end up like Griff 😉
2 0
Log in to Reply
Report
July 5, 2013 8:54pm
Pauleastbay

The guys were all at a deer camp. No one wanted to room with Bob, because he snored so badly. They decided it wasn’t fair to make one of them stay with him the whole time, so they voted to take turns. The first guy slept with Bob and comes to breakfast the next morning with his hair a mess and his eyes all bloodshot. They said, ‘Man, what happened to you?

He said, ‘Bob snored so loudly, I just sat up and watched him all night. ‘

The next night it was a different guy’s turn. In the morning, same thing – hair all standing up, eyes all bloodshot. They said, ‘Man, what happened to you? You look awful!’

He said, ‘Man, that Bob shakes the roof with his snoring. I watched him all night .’

The third night was Pete’s turn. Pete was a big burly ex-Navy man; a man’s man. The next morning he came to breakfast bright eyed and bushy tailed. ‘ Good morning,’ he said.

They couldn’t believe it! They said, ‘Man, what happened?’

He said, ‘Well, we got ready for bed. I went and tucked Bob into bed, patted him on the butt, and kissed him good night. Bob sat up and watched me all night.
4 0
Log in to Reply
Report
July 5, 2013 8:54pm
nasska

…..”even mobile phones can be charged using a little portable coal generator”….

Too late Kea….technology developed from a recent study of perpetual motion displayed by Conservatives has superseded coal based options.

I refer of course to the conservonutters’ constant wrist action….when the grip & motion is transferred from the penis to a little handle operated generator even hydro generation will be thing of the past. 🙂
0 0
Log in to Reply
Report
July 5, 2013 8:58pm
Kea

nasska, all that will do is drive down the price of coal. All homes will have gigantic coal fired stoves, which they can run all year round by using their coal fired air con if it gets too warm.
0 0
Log in to Reply
Report
July 5, 2013 9:02pm
nasska

Due to a water shortage in Ireland, a Dublin council has announced they are closing lanes 7 and 8 at the local swimming pool…
3 0
Log in to Reply
Report
July 5, 2013 9:06pm
Nookin

Crusaders are starting to click.

Big Bruv will be shitting himself!!
0 1
Log in to Reply
Report
July 5, 2013 9:06pm
Left Right and Centre

Weihana 4:28 pm

Seems that way to me but I guess I’ve missed the point.

Well ok, let’s put it this way… this in an opinion I’m expressing, so it’s not as easy as saying it’s ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ or anything else. ‘Equality quotas’ gave me a bone to chew on… and my current thinking… probably shared by a few people…. is that if you’ve got overwhelming numbers of men who want to get into politics… then it makes sense that more MPs will be men, no?

Because if you had say 200 names in a hat….. needed 60 candidates…. and 160 names were men and pulled them out by chance… you’d expect to get a 4:1 ratio men:women becoming chosen candidates, so that would mean plus or minus either side of about 48 men and 12 women being chosen. If all 40 women were ‘better candidates’… you’d pick all 40 women plus the best 20 men.

NZ might very well be ‘better off’ with all female MPs. Seeing as the experiment has never been tested, a result is unknown, and for all intents unknowable as it is a highly improbable event.

What I struggle with is splitting people by gender… I find it an utterly and entirely pointless arbitrary distinction. So I will always want to bring the discussion back to ‘people’ and remove the, to me, unnecessary labels. So… a pool of people want to become MPs for Labour… and you pick the *people* that you consider will appeal best to voters. Choosing those people to some degree based on their gender seems like a strange way to determine who stands and who doesn’t. It also creates a situation whereby the blokes are at a numerical disadvantage depite the likelihood that some of the blokes who miss out will likely be stronger candidates than some of the women chosen. So.. a weaker woman gets in ahead of a stronger man… why? Because she’s a woman…. that’s the only reason. Of course, unless the equality issue was of such importance to voters that it gained more votes than it lost…. but that’s up to voters to decide whether or not they support a political party who favours some candidates based solely on an arbitrary criteria or not.

I don’t consider anything that unfairly disadvantages one group of people over another for no better reason than the distinction of one chromosome to be a good idea.
0 0
Log in to Reply
Report
July 6, 2013 8:55am

More comments:

‹
1
2

Add a Comment Cancel reply

Login to comment or vote

« Sports on TV

Who is pushing Labour’s man ban? »

Donations

You can now donate to Kiwiblog

Exclusive content from DPF on Patreon

Become a Patron!

Never miss a post

Email Address

Join 37.4K other subscribers

Highlights

Health Target 5 – elective treatments
Health Target 4 – Specialist appointments
Health Target 3 – Emergency Dept Waiting Times
Health Target 2 – Immunisations

Links

Javier Milei’s Chainsaw on Bureaucracy
Not PC
Woman of the day
Hompaddock
#climateemergency
Utopia
Do The Health Authorities Require Too Much From a GP?
No Minister
The h?koi was M?ori Party’s crowning glory – and provided plenty for Labour to think about
Point of Order
It’s National ACT NZF who are Dishonouring the Treaty + the day Moana Jackson knocked Gerry Brownlee on his bum
The Daily Blog
Open mike 22/11/2024
The Standard
Drawn
No Right Turn
The transgender agenda sunk Kamala
Bob McCoskrie's McBlog
SETTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT
No Punches Pulled (Bob Jones)
What does “reciprocity” mean in New Zealand laws?
Croaking Cassandra
A Day of Reckoning
NZCPR
Media Link: “A View from Afar” on the US elections.
Kiwipolitico
This will not end well
Offsetting Behaviour
Top 14 Predictions for Round 10
Stats Chat
Tory Whanau may have to sell Wellington mayoralty to make ends meet
The Civilian
The Accidental Engagement
Imperator Fish
Legal Beagle: Election '23: The Special Votes
Public Address
Making this movie might have been a mistake
Liam Hehir
Why I am retiring from political blogging
Kiwi FireWalker
Angie Warren-Clark: Meet the Newbies
Dan Moskovitz

editor@kiwiblog.co.nz

PO Box 12270, Thorndon, Wellington 6144

Facebook
Twitter
FourSquare
Instagram
LinkedIn
Google+

Archives
Disclosure Statement
Editorial Policy
Privacy Policy
Complaints Policy
Comments Policy

Design by cre8d