The National caucus is scheduled to meet at noon today to decide whether to dump Simon Bridges and replace him as their leader with probably Todd Muller (there are other rumours floating around but I doubt they will come to anything).
A bad poll for National and bridges on Tuesday gave impetus to a coup that seems to have alre3ady been fomenting. Bridges foorced the issue in Wednesday, calling the caucus meeting for Friday. Another bad poll for both National (29%) and Bridges (bugger all %) yesterday confirmed the party’s dire situation.
Media are talking as if it’s almost a done deal against Bridges. It’s possible he may step down before high noon.
Richard Harman (Politik): D-day for Bridges
Bridges camp was aware last night that defeat was likely today.
They must have been startled yesterday by reports of significant defections of caucus heavyweights from Leader Simon Bridges’ support. The confirmation on One News Colmar Brunton poll of National’s low rating appears to have simply added to the pressure for change.
It is even possible that Bridges might – for the sake of party unity — decide to resign before the caucus meeting.
NZ Herald – National Party showtime: Simon Bridges and Todd Muller prepare for leadership battle
Yesterday, neither the Bridges nor the Muller camp seemed certain they had the 28 votes needed, but both claimed to have strong numbers and one MP involved said it was looking “very, very close.”
The poll result may have changed that for MPs still wavering.
Muller’s camp said the poll results showed there was an urgent need for a change in leadership to reclaim that lost ground – and even Bridges’ own supporters acknowledged the poll would make it a lot harder for Bridges.
Newshub: National Party MPs prepare for midday Simon Bridges, Todd Muller leadership contest
Until Thursday night, the numbers looked to be evenly balanced with neither side willing to claim a majority but the 29 percent result seems to have pushed a group of undecided MPs towards the Muller camp, and potentially some who had been backing Bridges.
MPs talk about acting in the best interests of the party but what will be motivating many – namely list MPs and those in marginal seats – is self interest; with these poll numbers many would be out of Parliament.
So the outcome looks uncertain at this stage, publicly at least.
If Bridges hangs on it is likely to be dire for National. He already looks like damaged goods, and a close win will just highlight that lack of strong support for him in caucus, and the public are likely to see him as a lame duck leader.
If Muller wins it won’t be easy to even stop the bleeding of support let alone rebuilding it. He has had a low political profile and is unknown by most voters, but he has the advantages of not being Bridges and having no known baggage. He also has a probable advantage of polls just having been done – it will be a while before there’s another poll so will give him a chance to get established.
I would be most unlikely top vote for National led by Bridges, he has rarely impressed me and I don’t like the direction he seems to be taking the party.
If Muller or someone else I will take time to decide whether i think the change is for the better of not. It’s impossible to know how people will come across as leaders until they have had a go for a while.
We will find out some time today who will have the job of trying to revive a party with evaporating support.
Your NZ 
Alan Wilkinson
/ 22nd May 2020Surely it is time to worry about our abysmal lack of talent in Parliament. We should be removing their power rather than enhancing it.
duperez
/ 22nd May 2020What qualities do we want in our parliamentarians? What attributes are needed to actually get to be in Parliament? Or to be ‘good at it’ or be successful and flourish in the role?
Obviously a hotch potch of group of people want to get there who have a range of qualities. Is it likely that some whom by any rational measure might be considered the most capable don’t shine out there because of the way the game is played and the personal politics?
If a mob of top dogs get put in one kennel, regardless of the best intentions, ostensibly all being there for the same thing, it’s inevitable there’s going to be dog eat dog. At the same time outside the cage you have incessant prodding with sharp sticks and a light that is on 1440 minutes a day.
Given the way things work in 2020 can you see anyone in their right mind wanting to be there? The talent is probably in the grandstands.
Gezza
/ 22nd May 2020Is it likely that some whom by any rational measure might be considered the most capable
That “whom” is not correct. Forget why, but it should be “who”. Kitty might assist later when she comes looking for Corky’s day’s efforts.
Otherwise, very good. I like that one. 👍🏼
Duker
/ 22nd May 2020Kitty has the accident and mortality figures ‘hard wired’ , not so much the winners
Corky
/ 22nd May 2020Can you open the sliding door, and tell Kitty she’s more than welcome to have the rest of the year off. 😀
If I want to watch paint dry…I will buy some from my local Bunnnings store before they close.
Gezza
/ 22nd May 2020Sliding door? Tell it to the marines, bro. We are not a tag team & she lives in another bleedin’ province altogether. Kitty is her own man (so to speak). We share an onithological anthropomorphologising interest
Gezza
/ 22nd May 2020Merde!
*ornithological
Duker
/ 22nd May 2020https://help.zolasuite.com/portal/en/kb/articles/how-do-i-enable-spell-check-for-google-chrome
Gezza
/ 22nd May 2020Good thinking, but … no use, I’m afraid. I’m most often posting on the little now-somewhat-elderly FiP 2. iOS9.woteva is its last compatible update. The only Google Chrome app version that this little baby can run was hacked & compromised & Google advised everybody it should not be used.
Think my only other option is autocorrect. I think faster than it does & it made more cockups than I do.
duperez
/ 22nd May 2020I was probably somewhere up Heming way thinking of Bridges for whom the bell may be tolling. 🙂
There you go, straightaway off on a tangent, about the job ‘taking its toll on Bridges.’
🙃
Alan Wilkinson
/ 22nd May 2020“Who” is the subject of the verb (might). Just as you wouldn’t say “him might”. “Whom” is the object case.
Alan Wilkinson
/ 22nd May 2020Being led by people who don’t know what they don’t know is a recipe for disaster but those who elect them are in the same category.
Duker
/ 22nd May 2020So a kiwifruit growers rep middle manager does?
Then a government lobbyist job at Fonterra
Ive got news for you government is different
Alan Wilkinson
/ 22nd May 2020I suspect you are the voter referenced above.
Duker
/ 22nd May 2020Once again whos Todd Mullers confidents working the other MPs to convince them of the personal benefits to them by switching sides. MPs gain positions mainly ministerial jobs by their ‘loyalty’ or being ‘bought’
Gezza
/ 22nd May 2020Opinion among the pundits is now mixed & constantly changing. Most saying they can’t call it & producing lots of fluff to fill up space.
Goneburger, I reckon. Muller would take over at a good time to ride the bad news stories starting to appear about job losers & others negatively impacted in various ways by the lockdown.
Rather than try to out-match Ardern, there’s the possibility that having somebody who doesn’t try & compete on the same level, like Bridges does, but just has a completely different “personable but ‘businesslike'” image & approach to problem solving, may be just what National needs?
There’s plenty of time & opportunity for Muller to be “sold” to the worried voters. He’d be very well known come election time.
Pete George
/ 22nd May 2020I think if there’s any movement in support at this stage it will be against bridges, especially after the double whammy of polls.
Gezza
/ 22nd May 2020If Muller pulls off the coup, what’s of great interest to me is what he does with Bridges’ announced policies. Does he stick with them? Tweak them? Dump any? Have any new ideas or initiatives …?
Pete George
/ 22nd May 2020He would have time to put a policy package together before the election, but it’s likely to take a month or two ton see what that may look like.
Gezza
/ 22nd May 2020Depends on whether he’s already been doing some thinking ….
To do this, he really should have been. He’s got to hit the ground running.
Duker
/ 22nd May 2020Crosby Textor advice would be to have hradly any policy but focus on attack..it worked for Scott Morrison….oh and shiw off your Pentecostal faith….that last bit too hard as he’s Catholic and you don’t won’t the Prods to see priests with vestments , candles and swinging the incense
Gezza
/ 22nd May 2020While Stuff now *appear* to be balancing their image-story by showing Muller & Bridges pics same size, which one looks like he’s calling the shots? 😎
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/300017906/live-the-contest-for-the-national-party-leadership
And the coverage is *live*, no less.
Looks like it might be Jacinda Who? Day today, Lurchy?
(Good day for another “Friday Dump” of anything awkward for the coalition.)
Duker
/ 22nd May 2020“Good day for another “Friday Dump”
You have missed the obvious one – Bridges moved the challenge to Fri Afternoon….. because the Saturday/Sunday papers have passed their deadlines
So the real answer to your query is
Bridges is doing a Fri Dump of the Challenge to get bad news out just as everyone has tuned out
You seem to be the ‘Bridges of Yournz’ …. tone deaf, no luck and miss the obvious even when you raise it …stick to your ducks with better legs
Gezza
/ 22nd May 2020Wasting your time posing to your imaginary fan club of one, I’m afraid.
Back to the mirror; tell the phool in it to stop making you look like a plonker.
What time do you reckon there’ll be an announcement?
Duker
/ 22nd May 2020Afternoon. Thats Fri Dump time
Theres more to come in the montage of Bridges for my avid fans
but this is only for you
Improve your photo skills this is whats achievable
Wonderful photos in this blog
https://wysiwygpurple.wordpress.com/
Gezza
/ 22nd May 2020Photos? Boring.
What are their names & which one’s the female?
Gezza
/ 22nd May 2020Be early afternoon I reckon. They might try for midday?
Gezza
/ 22nd May 2020Nah, you’re probably right, Dukers. Just switched on ZB midday news for an update & it sounded like Bridges had just arrived at Parly & was heading into the caucus room. Soper croaked out some utterances, but nothing definitive.
Anne Tolley was peed off at even having to be there; said she’d rather be home in her electorate. A pookling getting blown off the trellis outside the kitchen window distracted me so didn’t hear what Big Gezza Brownlee had to say. Dowie supporting Bridges on the way in. The others who made any recorded comment seemed to be inscrutable. Got the impression more supported Bridges than Muller tho. We’ll just have to wait & see later this afternoon. If Bridges stays, this nails his coffin tho.
Duker
/ 22nd May 2020Hehehe of course they will be saying to both sides …with you 100%.
“Got the impression” is the skill the pollies learn early , where they know it doesn’t matter what they think, getting you to think they agree with you it’s the only thing that matters.
Gezza
/ 22nd May 2020Oops. Sorry. Wrong one. Probably duker’s fault. Hard to move around without tripping over all the distracting squirrels he’s been dropping everywhere today.
It WAS ominous.
Gezza
/ 22nd May 2020😠 Damn. Was supposed to go below here:
https://yournz.org/2020/05/22/new-national-leader-today-looks-likely/#comment-420178
Tiny little FIP screen ! Never mind. near enuf is good enuf. 👍🏼
Gezza
/ 22nd May 2020Muller left; Bridges right ❓
Jesus. How stupid do Stuff think their readers are? 😐
Or is that to remind their repeater/reporters?
Kimbo
/ 22nd May 2020I think you are reading too much into it.
Here’s another, arguably more plausible scenario: for a photo frame up like his, it is standard to have the photos of the two competitors facing one another as with a boxing match. Only problem is, Todd Muller is such an unknown, the only photo they had on file was him facing from the left. So by default that was chosen, meaning Bridges photo has to face from the right.
Gezza
/ 22nd May 2020(Not really, just putting out meerkat bait)
Gezza
/ 22nd May 2020Hmm. Tight-lipped. Refused to confirm or deny.
Ominous.
Corky
/ 22nd May 2020Apparently Mueller is quite liberal…and had some strange fantasy’s as a child. If elected, I’m guessing he will be a stop-gap measure, unless he can prove otherwise.
Quote:
“I even wrote a book as a 10-year-old that saw me elected vice president, become president upon the very unfortunate death of the then-president and then go on to serve 13 consecutive terms.”
Yep…he has the Obama/ Biden/ Ardern groove going for him.
https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2020/05/21/ummmm-about-todd-mullers-maiden-speech-in-parliament/
Zedd
/ 22nd May 2020who is this Mueller of whom you prattle.. oh you mean Todd MULLER 😀
Gezza
/ 22nd May 2020While you are quite correct to point out Corky’s poor observational skills & lack of attention to the simplest of details, you do run the risk of being accused of rudeness from someone whose planet-sized ego you have just out a tiny dent in, Zedd.
Gezza
/ 22nd May 2020🙄 FiP!
out = put
Corky
/ 22nd May 2020Good work.
Gezza
/ 22nd May 2020Cheers, Corks. Regrettably can only score myself a 7/10 because of the glaring proof-reading fail.
Zedd
/ 22nd May 2020duly noted Gezza
Duker
/ 22nd May 2020Corky can find some gems , so hes ‘allowed’, it was only a silly typo not even worth considering
https://www.theguardian.com/books/booksblog/2017/jun/16/misprint-the-legends-famous-typos-from-james-joyce-to-jk-rowling
This quote from the Daily Blog story about Muller was, well AWESOME
“Politically he is a fart in an elevator, you don’t know where it came from, you just want it to leave.
Its up there with the ‘I would drink your poisoned coffee’ one from Churchill
Gezza
/ 22nd May 2020No it’s not. Sit down please.
Not the first time he’s called him Mueller. If he wants to point out other people’s shortcomings & talk up his own perceived superior observational skills as often as he does he’s really gotta expect the same treatment from time to time.
Citing the Daily Blog? Fuxake. Who was the author of that one? Not Bomber, was it?
Duker
/ 22nd May 2020Dont you read Corkys links ….
the other main point is even now no one is quoting Mullers maiden speech ….cue fart in elevator.
Gezza
/ 22nd May 2020Dont you read Corkys links ….
Only sometimes. Depends what he’s written to accompany them. Sometimes there be gems. Other times there be dragons. Sometimes there be madness.
Kitty Catkin
/ 23rd May 2020Poor old Corks; he must think that the conversation is about Robert Mueller.
Corky
/ 22nd May 2020”Not the first time he’s called him Mueller.”
?
The problem is I thought I had called him Muller..so was covered.
Still, that’s the way it goes. Talking about the way it goes..look at this and weep. Hold on, you would love this…its me who needs to weep.
Gezza
/ 22nd May 2020Crikey. Absolutely masterful. One of the best, most inclusive, most authentic-sounding, most intelligent maiden speeches I’ve ever witnessed.
Duker
/ 22nd May 2020Surely the cloak tells you how authentic it was !
His voting showed he wanted to keep the abortion legislation in the Crimes Act.
Hes just Bill English with less hair
Could this be the Year of the Three
PopesNats leadersGezza
/ 22nd May 2020Whose cloak is it? Did you note who gave it to him to wear.
More authentic than Jacinda’s, I’d venture.
Corky
/ 22nd May 2020Yep, I thought you would say that. To be fair, it was a good speech…not that I’m any expert on maiden speeches. Too soft and accommodating for my liking. I can get all that stuff from Labour. I want National to be hard; uncompromising and forward thinking…not inclusive. We have had the bs
inclusive approach for over 30 years…has it been a success?
Corky
/ 22nd May 2020Worse news, Duker…I’m sure I heard someone say he’s a person of faith.
Gezza
/ 22nd May 2020Ah yes, but the thing is, being truly inclusive as a leader can or should also mean disciplining those who harm that inclusivity with anti-social & anti-inclusive behaviours.
Gezza
/ 22nd May 2020PS: @ Corky
Define “forward thinking” please. No idea what you think that means at the moment. Very vague.
Duker
/ 22nd May 2020Person of faith ? And Bridges wasnt.
Lets see the differences
No Faith – Key
PoF English, Bridges , now Muller
I know which one worked out better for the party
duperez
/ 22nd May 2020I’d already gained the idea Corky that you want National to be “hard; uncompromising and forward thinking…not inclusive.” And that being inclusive is bs.
I take that as a way of saying you want jackboots, stomping ahead doing what whoever is wearing them thinks needs to be done. As long as you or those you favour are wearing them of course. If someone else is wearing them and eschewing inclusive approaches you’d have them as tyrannical communist dictators tromping all over your rights, not consulting you. When bullies get it done back to them they usually wimp in the corner crying for their mummy and saying things aren’t fair.
Corky
/ 22nd May 2020”I’d already gained the idea Corky that you want National to be “hard; uncompromising and forward thinking…not inclusive.” And that being inclusive is bs.”
You can’t have an inclusive society. It’s not possible for a variety of reasons. What you must have is a society that doesn’t stop the individual
giving life his/her best shot. Rich or poor…everyone has that right in NZ.
Inclusiveness is just liberal bullshit for separatist laws; different standards of accountability depending on race and morally corrupt taxpayer funding depending on what is considered appropriate under the concepts of political and cultural correctness.
Ask yourself why I think that way..and you don’t?
Corky
/ 22nd May 2020”Define “forward thinking” please. No idea what you think that means at the moment. Very vague.”
Not really. Forward is the opposite of back or behind. So, if we move forward in the political sense, what has been left behind?
1- Maori bs.
2- Weak policing ( corrupt policing?)
3- Marxist education.
4- Moronic Covid legislation and rules.
5- Immigration issues.
6- Woman’s Affairs. Race Relations Office…and other quangos I forget.
7- RMA.
Have no fear, though. It will be business as usual with Muller. Maybe a few tweaks, here and there. The test of his mettle will be when he pisses liberals off.
duperez
/ 23rd May 2020“You can’t have an inclusive society. It’s not possible … What you must have is a society that doesn’t stop the individual giving life his/her best shot. Rich or poor…everyone has that right in NZ.”
Looks like it’s a matter of definition. A pity we can’t have a test, a trial, two parallel countries side by side each going down diametrically different paths.
In one country I live in a suburbs, near the coast, wherever, I want to build a four storey house. I build it. The individual giving life his best shot, what he wants. In the other the ‘inclusive’ one, all sorts of planning rules come into it play as there is impact on others. Do you have the latter case to do with “morally corrupt taxpayer funding depending on what is considered appropriate under the concepts of political and cultural correctness”?
Corky
/ 23rd May 2020”Looks like it’s a matter of definition.”
No, it’s a reality. Once we start insisting on definitions and stats to back our argument, we move further away from that fundamental truth…no one is held back from making a go of life in NZ. Being rich, or coming from a deprived background are incidental to that fact. Both bring their own set of problems to the equation.
”A pity we can’t have a test, a trial, two parallel countries side by side each going down diametrically different paths.”
That has always been my wet dream with regards to Libertarianism.
”In one country I live in a suburbs, near the coast, wherever, I want to build a four storey house. I build it.”
That’s a good point, argued in many Libertarian circles…however, it has nothing to do with the debate at hand. That falls into one of the sub-categories Gezza speaks of regarding a major problem being investigated and legislated.
Conspiratoor
/ 22nd May 2020Not wanting to be left out of the action my good friend marama flicked me an email just now…
Gezza
/ 22nd May 2020I would caution you against falling for her siren charms. It is a relationship that might too soon see you smashed on a rock.
Duker
/ 23rd May 2020Heres gezza displaying his rational middle of the road genuine undecided political affiliations…..hes “old”-right instead of Alt-right
Gezza
/ 23rd May 2020Wrong again. Back to your mirror.
I’m ‘old left’ actually. Nowadays I’m more thoughtful than blind tribal.
Duker
/ 23rd May 2020Old left ….. wake up you are still dreaming.
More like the 1970s ‘fashionable left’ which was like a clothing choice to belong with the in crowd….. underlying all that was the Old Right your true background to which you have reverted.
Rupert Murdoch and many others trod a similar path
Duker
/ 22nd May 2020Curious that Bridges moved the Caucus meeting forward to Friday to head off the Colmar Brunton poll results which TV1 normally announces Sun/Mon nights.
However CB and TV1 could see the opportunity to move their ‘ vital news’ forward too and thus we see it rushed out on Thurs night. Good move as the poll results wouldnt mean as much and seem stale by Sun/Mon
Who was who said timing was everything in politics, and who was it said Bridges never has ‘luck’ on his side, doubly so as often CB poll is more favourable to National.
Gezza
/ 22nd May 2020Who was [it] who said timing was everything in politics?
It was me. Actually, it’s been everybody who ever had anything to say about politics for so far, far back in the mists of time that probatively identifying the first person to say it is impossible.
Duker
/ 22nd May 2020Yes. However some use it in the exactly the right context, Bridges thought he could get the timing right by dragging all his Mps back to Wellington before the weekend to beat the Poll.
Instead the poll results moved .
Churchills quotes have that feature of maybe others re-purposed for exactly the right moment
Like This one
““I have never accepted what many people have kindly said, namely that I have inspired the nation. It was the nation and the race dwelling all around the globe that had the lion heart. I had the luck to be called upon to give the roar.”
https://www.keepinspiring.me/winston-churchill-quotes/
Gezza
/ 22nd May 2020Asked & answered, counsellor.
Dunno what that’s all about; didn’t read it, sorry.
Lost interest & moved on.
All the best. 👍🏼
Alan Wilkinson
/ 22nd May 2020I think history will look back on this event as a gross failure of science and of science management by politicians. Science has become so deeply corrupted by “climate science” that “could” and “may” are regarded not only as acceptable but almost compulsory in scientific reporting.
Politicians almost invariably from the social side of the spectrum have no ability to challenge and scrutinise these meaningless claims for significance and attention. The result has been this worldwide economic catastrophe caused by blind acceptance of pseudo-scientific untruths.
Duker
/ 22nd May 2020All predictions about the future are hard as there is NO data from the future.
Economics has run with these models for ages, the Treasury can never get the details close enough to be usefull and is generally over the place on most parameters.
NIWA didnt even get its monthly forecasts right , not even noticing the sustained great/dry weather we have had ( and it wasnt just a 1 month aberration either)
this virus was (almost) completely new for human beings , but the baisics were correct
1) More contagious than flu
2) Higher hospitisation rate than flu- which was correcly identified as the critical factor too watch
3) Long lockdowns become ineffective , so short sharp is better
4) Elimination is the best strategy once that seems achievable –
Pink David
/ 22nd May 2020Scientism, not science.
Duker
/ 22nd May 2020Hooton been busy in his column today
he admits to being a ’30 yr friend of Todd Muller’
“Chris Bishop, who took Hutt South off Labour in 2017 for the first time in the working-class seat’s existence and has led the numbers operation for Muller.”
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=12333869
hehehe , Bishop only took the seat after the boundarys moved far east to the newer hill suburbs
The working class Hutt Valley parts like Taita went to Remutaka while across the Western Hutt Rd the suburbs Kelson and Belmont are in Hutt South
Those areas used to be in the then named Ohariu- Belmont
More news on how Bridges has been in the cross hairs for some time
“In fact, any true purge may need to include even deputy leader Paula Bennett and defence spokesman Mark Mitchell who, some MPs claim, have been promoting a plan where they would take over from Bridges if National’s polling did not improve by this time next month.”
So sad Hooton has to chose between friends , but since everyone has been plotting against Bridges ( even before the pollmageddon) he has to go anyway
Pete George
/ 22nd May 2020Magic Talk @MagicTalkRadio
#BREAKING @NewshubNZ sources believe @simonjbridges
has lost the @NZNationalParty leadership showdown.
https://twitter.com/MagicTalkRadio/status/1263632800437030912
Other media are trying to confirm, but if true this is not a surprising outcome.
Pete George
/ 22nd May 2020Alan Wilkinson
/ 22nd May 2020Stuff has confirmed it too.
Gezza
/ 22nd May 2020They’ve made the right choice.
Listen to the video of his maiden speech
https://yournz.org/2020/05/22/new-national-leader-today-looks-likely/#comment-420210
or find a transcript & read it.
Alan Wilkinson
/ 22nd May 2020I’m waiting to see what he says today. Certainly a few seconds of that maiden speech is a vast improvement on Simon’s delivery. But I want to see content.
Alan Wilkinson
/ 22nd May 2020“There is no Team Todd, there is no Team Nikki, or anyone else – there is only Team National,” Mr Muller said.
“National has always been a coalition of city and country, business and community, conservatives and liberals – National is the party for all New Zealanders.
“New Zealanders need a National Government with the experience and management skills to get our country through the worst crisis since the end of the Second World War.
“My focus as leader is our country’s economic recovery and the strengthening of every community throughout New Zealand.”
– an ok start.
Alan Wilkinson
/ 22nd May 2020Oops, PG beat me.
Gezza
/ 22nd May 2020The blighter does that sometimes!
Honestly. You’d think he owned the blimmin blog! 😠
Gezza
/ 22nd May 2020Hang on 🤔
He does ! 😀
Kitty Catkin
/ 23rd May 2020Oh, I thought that Duker did.
Pete George
/ 22nd May 2020Officuial release from National:
Todd Muller elected leader of the New Zealand National Party
Todd Muller has been elected Leader of the New Zealand National Party, the party caucus announced today.
Nikki Kaye has been elected as his Deputy.
“There is no Team Todd, there is no Team Nikki, or anyone else – there is only Team National,” Mr Muller said.
“National has always been a coalition of city and country, business and community, conservatives and liberals – National is the party for all New Zealanders.
“New Zealanders need a National Government with the experience and management skills to get our country through the worst crisis since the end of the Second World War.
“My focus as leader is our country’s economic recovery and the strengthening of every community throughout New Zealand.”
Alan Wilkinson
/ 22nd May 2020Stuff says press conference at 2pm.
Gezza
/ 22nd May 2020No way of telling which tv channel will broadcast it, if any, in this country. Aljazeera might.
Hopefully online news outlets will carry it live?
Gezza
/ 22nd May 2020Aljazeera’s carrying a live Chinese Communist party address; assume by Xi.
Todd can’t compete with those numbers.
Corky
/ 22nd May 2020This is similar to what the person who replaces Trumpy will say. It’ll be interesting to see what attack vector the media takes on Muller and his style of leadership.
All things to all people?
Gezza
/ 22nd May 2020It’ll be mostly wafflefluff for several days until he says & does things as leader that they can actually analyse & work with.m
Alan Wilkinson
/ 22nd May 2020He needs to get stuck into Jacinda’s lockdown lunacy from the start. He has to lead, not shuffle around like Simon
Duker
/ 22nd May 2020Yes . And yet People like Bishop who was a big force behind Muller will rise to the highest levels while others will sink like a stone…. here Paula grab this life buoy.
Others did what was best for their careers , told both sides that they had their full support . These are politicians are all
Conspiratoor
/ 22nd May 2020Just lost the maori vote. That’ll put a big dent in their voting base
Alan Wilkinson
/ 22nd May 2020Looking forward to the “Maori for Simon” protests.
Gezza
/ 22nd May 2020Who just lost the Maori vote?
Alan Wilkinson
/ 22nd May 2020Was Simon’s Maori diction any better than his English?
Gezza
/ 22nd May 2020His English diction’s actually slightly better than Jacinda’s. And he doesn’t sound as robotic as he used to when a Cabinet Minista. It’s his oymoy accent that’s so bloody awful.
Duker
/ 22nd May 2020Watch Muller book the serious top level media training – paid for by the party- like English and Bridges did when becoming the leader
Gezza
/ 22nd May 2020Why? They all do.
Duker
/ 22nd May 2020That would have been starter course, this will be the very expensive PM level master class. Even English when he became PM had the nearly week long version even though he had been mp for 30 years and a senior minister for most of that.
Even though Simon will touch his nose when Todd makes his first serious gaffe and has the chooks all a flutter
Gerrit
/ 22nd May 2020Heh? National never did have the Maori vote. Last election all the Maori seats went Labour (30% of the Labour electoral seats). National did have the Maori party on board whilst in government but never the Maori seats.
Maori are getting more and more handouts from Labour so the Maori vote, via seats, was never going to be Nationals anyway.
Only if the Maori seats went back to the Maori party would National make representation for the Maori vote.
Alan Wilkinson
/ 22nd May 2020Bridges to speak at 3pm
Gezza
/ 22nd May 2020Will anybody see & hear him?
Can’t find any video broadcast of Muller. Not on tv1 or 3.
Herald’s just doing the Ashley Show when I looked, boring. Just print the numbers.
Simon’s speech is virtually irrelevant now.
Gezza
/ 22nd May 2020Simon: End of an error.
Todd: Promise of a better era.
At last: something different on tv from the Ashley & Jacinda Make It Up As You Go Show for a while.
We’re at Level 2.1 this week. Level 2.2 next week. They’ve bullshitted us about how many levels there are.
Duker
/ 22nd May 2020Its the plan silly .
Every 2 weeks , the CV19 cycle time, will allow lowering restrictions as the results come in.
Gezza
/ 22nd May 2020Yes, that’s been my opinion too.
Wtf is wrong with them? Why don’t they just tell the media they are following Plan Silly?
Which has tons more levels than the 4 they first thunk up?
Gezza
/ 22nd May 2020https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/watch-new-national-party-leader-todd-muller-speaks-after-defeating-simon-bridges-in-leadership-battle
Gezza
/ 22nd May 2020Incompetence at their website. That link above is live & now carrying Simon’s last hurrah speech.
Here’s Todd:
https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/watch-new-national-party-leader-todd-muller-speaks-after-defeating-simon-bridges-in-leadership-battle
Duker
/ 22nd May 2020Look at you , kissing the (episcopal) ring so soon.
Duker
/ 22nd May 2020Gezza
/ 22nd May 2020WTF are you on? You’ve obviously taken too much of it.
Gezza
/ 22nd May 2020Your problem, duker ( well, one of several, really) is that you seem to think I’m a National fan. Or something. This is not the case. As you have been told, but you seem to be learning-impaired.
Because unlike you I have high EI, I have watched poor Mr Bridges struggle with sinking polls, an awkward presence, an unsympathetic media pack, & a level of continued public unpopularity that, were I in his shoes, would make me want to go and hide under the covers until after the election.
I see little really to differentiate that much between the main centre left & centre right parties in NZ these days. Despite all the noise & babble of the media & the partisan screaming skulls & snipers, things tend to just muddle along quite nicely & get a bit of a tweak here and there whenever there’s a swapover & then a swap back.
I am an equal opportunity critic of all parties & a swing voter who does his best when the time comes to try and vote for the best of what is usually a rather sad lot & an uncertain outcome & direction, cos MMP.
National had no show of developing decent policy & direction & getting elected with Simon at the helm.
I felt just as badly for poor Andy when he just kept on tanking his party & his own chances, despite, by many accounts, being a generally decent sort of chap doing the now traditional barking at every passing car. And altho I was surprised to see he capitulated & handed the reins to the Womans Day girl who’d crashed a tractor, I was actually pleased to see him outvof the job so Labour could have a shot at developing decent policy & direction & we could get some kind of semi-rational looking choice.
duperez
/ 22nd May 2020Your paragraph “I see little really…” says a lot. The similarities are so much stronger than the differences yet people go on like their throats have been cut if one side or anyone in it does something they don’t like.
“Oh very young, what will you leave us this time
You’re only dancin’ on this earth for a short while…”
Duker
/ 22nd May 2020Saw this on Kiwiblog
“Someone noticed that Matthew Hooten[sic] has removed his twitter account. Speculation that he may have been offered a job as Muller’s chief of staff”
Thats the reality too , Simons hirelings are now ‘unhired’ and Bridges himself has to go back to using Uber.
Bridges had the real estate of a leader – flats in Auckland And Wellington as well as a recently bought house in a flash part of Tauranga- but now has the back benchers salary
Duker
/ 22nd May 2020https://twitter.com/matthewhootonnz?lang=en
Yep its gone.
Unity my a$#@&!
Duker
/ 22nd May 2020A Stalin like purge has removed the complete ‘team’ tab on the National.org.nz web page.
as usual the nomenklatura is still the same and the apparatchiks of the new leader will be front and side
Kitty Catkin
/ 23rd May 2020Nomenclature ?
Corky
/ 22nd May 2020Just listened to Banksie interview Todd Muller. Boy, what a performer this guy is. The difference between him and Simon is very noticeable. Already Lefty trolls know the political landscape has changed… with few getting stuck in to Banksie ( their voice gives them away).
Muller is very family oriented, but had a go at Labour, saying it’s basically a two man show.
Banksie put in a good word for Paul Goldsmith, so he holds his position. Others will not be so lucky as Muller reflects on changes needed over the coming days.
The interview ended with Banskie passing on some advice George Gear had given him many years ago:” 9 out of 10 problems will not happen… but when one does, it will eventually pass.”
The interview ended with Muller saying even though he likes Ryan Bridge, Banksie should be kept on with his own show. Banksie said he felt much better after that interview.
Is there anything Muller doesn’t know?
PKWR
Gezza
/ 22nd May 2020George Gair – now there’s a name from the distant political past that I could picture the face of but not remember how his name was spelt or what had become of him.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Gair
Corky
/ 22nd May 2020Thanks for looking things up… grammar checkers have nothing on you.😕
Gezza
/ 22nd May 2020He was a gent. Not many of those around now.
Kitty Catkin
/ 23rd May 2020It rhymes with ‘air’ not ‘ear’.
Some weather presenters talk about the ‘ear’ temperature. Ouch. Too wince-making.
Duker
/ 22nd May 2020I see on TV Muller has the signs of the TV consultants virus , waving his arms around…..was he standing on a box and loosing balance. It is of course taught by all the media advisors as it makes them more ‘animated’ or some such waffle.
Normally the woman’s mags will be called in for a photoshoot of Mrs Muller stands by her man sort of story…..oops all closed now by Bauer.
Corky
/ 22nd May 2020”Signs of TV consultant.”
Muller may just have had strong coffee?
Anyway, the point is…just when you thought your firm had cornered the consumer market…along comes another Blue franchise…one that sounds far more competent.
Alan Wilkinson
/ 22nd May 2020A chip off the old Bolger?
Corky
/ 22nd May 2020Both Catholics…something for vicious liberals to get their teeth into. My how things can change so fast.
duperez
/ 22nd May 2020I was at a meeting and heard Banks say that Muldoon told him you needed to always tell the truth, always tell the truth. Did Banks give Muller that advice? 😂
Duker
/ 22nd May 2020Did Banks follow his own advice?
duperez
/ 22nd May 2020I’d be lying if I said yes!
Corky
/ 22nd May 2020I was at a meeting….🤔