Supporting the Rugby Team
September 29th, 2007 at 11:49 am by David FarrarThe NZ Herald editorial is unimpressed with the PM’s move to have the have the Speaker investigate the Parliamentary Rugby Team.
So ends, probably, a harmless and charming tradition. What could be more in tune with this country than the pleasure that a few of its male MPs derive from an occasional game of rugby? What could be the harm in accepting sponsorship for their recent trip to France?
The sponsorship had been organised by a representative of Sky TV, as it has been for years. Sky TV has an obvious interest in rugby. So do some of the other sponsors: Air New Zealand, adidas, Lion Nathan, Visa, McDonald’s and AMP. The French Government provided internal travel and accommodation.
Lobbying is a long way from corruption. If this trip was unethical, we have become too sanctimonious for words, or play.
Hear hear.
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September 29th, 2007 at 12:05 pm
Great to see a Prime Minister who is so alert to unethical practices. You go Girl!
Vote:September 29th, 2007 at 12:38 pm
Helen is just jealous. I am sure she would love to take part but is worried if she lost her temper and decked one of the opponents there might be a dope test and she would test positive for steroids. A husky voice and a foul temper is a sure sign of a female on steroids.
Vote:September 29th, 2007 at 1:37 pm
Now if it had been a League team, do you think Helen would be raising the same objections? An attack on leaguies surely wouldn’t go down well in Mangere!
Vote:September 29th, 2007 at 3:23 pm
Hatred of women? (check) Racism? (check) Unadulterated ad hominen on the PM? (check). Yep, these first three comments promise a real intelligent thread is about to emerge on what is, essentially, a non-partisan issue. Well done.
Vote:September 29th, 2007 at 3:30 pm
Only a woman would go down this path
She’s obviously putting the boot in b4 she’s a gone burger
if she thought she had any chance of a new govt next year
she wouldn’t dare touch Rugby
The scary thing is National is saying nothing
Academics do nothing for a country. The whole concept of patriotism is foreign to them. Why do true blue Kiwis believe in academics
Vote:September 29th, 2007 at 3:39 pm
“Academics do nothing for a country” – a breathtakingly stupid comment.
Vote:September 29th, 2007 at 3:45 pm
How long they been running the country now
it’s the academics who complain about our number 8 wire mentality that had a kiwi split the atom
not to mention a list I could not finish in here.
But not one academic would be on it.
And I don’t know what you do donald but a Wintec tutor told me he would vote for me simply on that statement
Vote:September 29th, 2007 at 4:06 pm
Its a diversion from the Electoral Finance Act, and gives the illusion of a highly moral and corruption free administration. The Speaker has probably already been given a copy of her findings.
Vote:September 29th, 2007 at 4:07 pm
Rutherford was a scientist and an academic. Where did you get the idea that number 8 wire mentality had anything to do with splitting the atom?
Vote:September 29th, 2007 at 4:11 pm
Thrash”
he was a kiwi,, it had to be in there somewhere.
thats why a kiwi did it
Thats why kiwis do anything from jogging to bugy jumping to building the fastest motorbikes and winning commonwealth, olympic and formula one races.
the politicians just put spanners in the works
Vote:September 29th, 2007 at 4:12 pm
AND WHY AREN’T ANY OF THE PEOPLE WHO DO THESE THINGS IN PARLIAMENT
????????????????????????????????
Vote:September 29th, 2007 at 4:15 pm
Anaemic academics have a place, but not in Government.
Vote:September 29th, 2007 at 4:20 pm
hinamanu: All those things are done by people from other nations too. It has nothing to do with being a New Zealander and everything to do with putting in the hard yards. And I still fail to see the link between a number 8 wire attitude and splitting the atom.
To me, the number 8 wire attitude is personified by a bloke I knew who fixed the steering on his car with a piece of number 8 wire. it worked well until it broke and he found himself driving through the wall of someone’s garage. It’s a half arsed attitude. It’s a “She’ll be right” attitude. It’s an “It’s good enough for me” attitude. etc.
Vote:September 29th, 2007 at 5:16 pm
I agree Thrash
It’s the attitude of “we don’t have what we need so we get by with what we have”. It’s certainly not unique to NZ.
Vote:September 29th, 2007 at 5:47 pm
“Splitting the Atom”. Its probably going to be a New Zealand non acedemic, but qualified person that is going to make the next breakthrough in renewable Energy.
Vote:September 29th, 2007 at 6:10 pm
Dead Duck Dux sounds a little insecure by his/her comments and testy replys. This from a blue collar worker. I love academics, they make me peak in my thesaurus from time to time. J
Vote:September 29th, 2007 at 6:25 pm
They’ve helped 3rd world progress no end.
Vote:September 29th, 2007 at 6:26 pm
John – I’m not an academic – if that’s what you were hinting. I just happen to recognise the value education and research plays in our success as a nation. By the way, if I were an academic, I’d take a dim view of any student who used “replys” in an essay. You get a “C-”
:-0
Vote:September 29th, 2007 at 7:36 pm
DDD:
Other common subtypes of the ad hominem include the ad hominem circumstantial, or ad hominem circumstantiae, an attack which is directed at the circumstances or situation of the arguer; and the ad hominem tu quoque, which objects to an argument by characterizing the arguer as being guilty of the same thing that he is arguing against.
The last one is you, that is.
Vote:September 29th, 2007 at 8:03 pm
Dead Duck Dux
Are you Chris Trotter ?
Vote:September 30th, 2007 at 10:26 am
john the idea of a man ‘peaking’ in his thesaurus has certainly given me pause. Do you look up the ‘sexy’ words to do this, or can it be any subject?
Vote:September 30th, 2007 at 10:30 am
Bill Ralston of the Herald made an apt and tart remark about the PM’s attitude to this subject:
“However, having made a fuss about it Clark has opened the way for scrutiny of all parliamentary perks. Where does that leave the Business and Parliamentary Trust, where companies pay money to belong so they can host MPs on instructional visits to their businesses? The politicos are inevitably wined and dined as a result. What about politicians being hosted in corporate boxes and tents at events?
Come to think of it, how ethical is it for the cultural sector to bombard the Minister of Culture with freebie tickets to plays and concerts?”
The last sentence sums it up for me.
Vote:September 30th, 2007 at 3:41 pm
Burt,, chris trotter lol
mara,, anaemic, love it
lee,, Scrutinising helen’s freebies,, priceless.
Vote:September 30th, 2007 at 5:54 pm
hinemanu my brother, the crack I made about the thesaurus was pure gold, IMHO.
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