Final Maiden Speech
February 12th, 2009 at 11:31 am by David FarrarThe final maiden speech was given yesterday by new Green MP Catherine Delahunty. It is online here. Some extracts:
Mr Speaker, Te Tiriti o Waitangi is like a rope between us, the indigenous manawhenua and the Tangata Tiriti. We, Tangata Tiriti hold on to the rope because we need it most. At our end the rope is made of the bones and tears of migrants – many of whom left cold islands on the other side of the world hoping desperately for a better life. And that better life came to pass through systemic violence, theft and denial. Te Tiriti, a frayed and stretched arrangement is the tie that binds us to this place and to the hope that violence, theft and denial need not be the basis for our bonds in the future.
A nice cheerful start.
We enjoy ongoing colonial privilege, but we have an opportunity to take responsibility for this and work for a justice-based peace. This justice is desperately needed from Ruatoki to Gaza.
Hmmn I think she just compared the Urerewa Raids to the conflict in Gaza. Well who knows, what she really meant.
But first I thank my mother for her vital lesson that a background of privilege and racism need not distort the human heart
So is she saying her mother came from a racist background?
Despite that healthy suspicion towards institutions I embrace this new chapter with all the illusions of a maiden. Last time I was a maiden was 40 years ago. It’s refreshing to revisit that time of passionate conviction, when it was our unique duty to resist the system while wearing a lot of black clothing.
Umm, was she a cat burglar?
The person who pushed me into this was my partner Gordon Jackman who lives issues of justice every day. They say that behind every great man is an exhausted woman, or behind every great woman is a man trying to slow her down, but I say: beside this ordinary woman is an extraordinary and totally supportive man.
So it is just all the other men who are slowing down great women?
When I first marched on Parliament it was in a pushchair, protesting against nuclear weapons. At 10, I stood with my sisters on those steps of Moehau granite as we protested against troops being sent to Vietnam, and at 16 I led the first union of high school students to those same steps.
Wow she was a political activist as a two year old. Obviously her parents believed in letting her form her own views.
And, to my friends of the last decade – the educators for social change and social justice – these years have been ones of learning, so much richer than any unit standard or university essay. We have travelled a road that is made by walking and we have met with inspiring community activists and workers along the way. Thanks to the Treaty educators, the disability activists, the Women’s liberation and gay rights workers, the environmental campaigners, the unemployed rights activists, community development leaders and young unionists, the collective gardeners and all the other targets of SIS and Threat Assessment Unit time wasting.
I think she missed out the whales.
The hardest issue I have ever learned about remains riddled with denials and taboos. As a TAB — a temporarily able bodied person — I grew up with all the prejudices our society has developed to justify our discrimination against people living with impairments.
Very Orwellian – instead of disabled people., we define those who are not disabled as “temporarily abled bodied”.
In a healthy group the individual can thrive, it is not a war between nanny state and the free market, the real struggle is between earth-based collective well-being versus a polluted globalised greed.
All worship Gaia and you will be happy.
The international financial crisis is inextricably linked to climate change and if we can’t work the linkage out then Papatuanuku will spell it out for us.
Wow, climate change is to blame for the financial crisis also!
Well one can’t accuse Catherine of hiding who she is, and what she believes in. Never though we would find someone who makes Sue Bradford look like a reactionary sellout to the forces of capitalism!
Was a very funny moment last night, related to the speech. During the afore mentioned drinks, one National MP gave an impromptu impassioned speech on a particular topic. She was clapped at the end of the fiery speech, until the Nat next to her did the best burn I have seen in ages, and serenely commented that it was the best speech he had heard since Catherine Delahunty’s maiden speech. Within seconds everyone was in hysterics, as this new ultimate put down.
Related posts:
- Maiden Speech Transcripts
- Lesley Soper Maiden Speech
- Maiden Speech for Todd McClay
- Maiden Speech for Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga
February 12th, 2009 at 11:35 am
Whatever she was, that was too much information.
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 11:40 am
I resent paying this woman
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 11:41 am
This was a very dangerous speech. The danger is that the other Greens will start to sound rational simply by comparison.
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 11:41 am
Maybe Ken Graham and Delahunty cancel each other out?
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 11:45 am
She be crazy.
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 11:46 am
Come ON, DPF, WTF is the NZ Parliament doing with someone in it that you have to feel so sorry for, that you can’t just say what you really think about her and her maiden speech; a bit like being nice to an intellectually handicapped child?
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 11:50 am
heh, Phil, you say that like it’s a bad thing.
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 11:51 am
Wo’ow !! she must have received some coaching from Phil U….Time for the SIS to open another file.
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 11:56 am
Lucky, lucky Kiwiblog mob! Someone new to denigrate! Break out the burning torches and the dunking chair, we’re gonna have a paaaaaaarty!
Vote:Paula Bennet – stroppy, forthright, bolshy. A goddess.
Catherine Delahunty – stroppy, forthright, bolshy. A demoness.
February 12th, 2009 at 11:59 am
Paula Bennet – sounds relatively normal.
Catherine Delahunty – kangaroos roaming free in the top paddock.
Greenfly – go back to whatever manure pile you were hatched in if you don’t like it here.
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 12:02 pm
>> when it was our unique duty to resist the system while wearing a lot of black clothing.
> Umm, was she a cat burglar?
Probably a sulky goth writing sad poetry and hating her parents.
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 12:04 pm
“The international financial crisis is inextricably linked to climate change..”
Read no further if you proof the Luddites of the Green Party are not only mad but completely iliterate.
Vote:You wonder how morons/lunatics like her made it to Parliament.
February 12th, 2009 at 12:05 pm
Brian – I do like it here, thanks! Greenfly hatch on the leaves of plants. You are thinking of some other pesky fly.
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 12:09 pm
temporarily abled bodied – HAHAHAHAHAHA what the hell???
TOAD – mate! doesnt this drive you nuts? you’re better than that!
greenfly – drove past a school before, saw a fat kid eating a pie.. he looked so happy
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 12:11 pm
Can anybody tell me what this stupid bitch brings to the house?
[DPF: As I have asked before, please don't refer to female MPs as bitches. Final warning before demerits]
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 12:14 pm
That means someone for whom employment is a bit inconvenient, but they haven’t yet found time to pop down to a doctor to sort their sickness benefit entitlement.
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 12:20 pm
dime, the term “temporarily abled bodied” is not a creation of Catherine Delahunty.
In fact it is terminology that is in common usage in the disability rights sector, reflecting the fact that that many people will develop disabilities at some point in their lives, due to accidents, illness (physical, mental or emotional), old age, or late-emerging effects of genetics.
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 12:22 pm
greenfly is a Yankee capitalist Ammerikanism so you’ll need to be expelled. What you were talking about, old chap, is the creature New Zealanders, Australians and Poms know as an aphid.
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 12:23 pm
An aptitude for goat milking and Buddist fleece throwing – “She left university halfway through her B.A. and moved to the Coromandel where she learned to milk goats and grow vegetables as well as throw fleeces in the only Buddhist shearing gang in Aotearoa.”
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 12:24 pm
toad, sorry i meant in general. wouldnt you be better off working with labour or something? help drive their enviromental policy.. cause the Green MP’s are just loopy. not that Labour offers a great deal, but they arent this bad.
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 12:27 pm
big bruv said: Can anybody tell me what this stupid bitch brings to the house?
Well, at least a sense of humour – “Last time I was a maiden was 40 years ago.”
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 12:27 pm
Ok what I got was a 51 year old professional victim and commited emo who was protesting before she could understand the difference between marching and being pushed got into parliament and is demanding a free lunch.
Well this is certainly a bold new future.
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 12:31 pm
A sense of humour? Fuck off. She’s a nutbar, like Russel Norman, Keith the Paraoid, and Sowcrate Kedgley. Bradford and Fitzsimons seem relatively normal compared to that lot, and the departed Nandor is positively right-wing juxtasposed against ther lot of them!
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 12:32 pm
Looks like National must really see Catherine as a threat, if they’re already on the attack with this sort of disingenous deliberate misunderstanding.
If you say “from A to Z” you’re not saying A and Z are the same. The message is that peace requires justice, no matter the scale of the injustice invloved.
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 12:37 pm
I believe the expression is “BatF**k Insane”
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 12:37 pm
Actually, she quite clearly means the exact opposite — you’ve got it 100% wrong. Of course you already knew that.
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 12:41 pm
HAHAHAHA yea we are terrified Pete.
I think you should really go for the killer blow.. let her do the leader debates at the next election. that will show us.
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 12:47 pm
It never ceases to amaze me how our useless media let nutbars like Delahunty, Bradford and Locke slip into the house almost unannounced.
The people of NZ deserve to know how dangerous and divisive these idiots are yet term after term the so called “Press” Gallery ignore them.
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 12:49 pm
pete, you make a good point. No other MP has received this sort of reaction here to their maiden speech. And apart from the bit about protesting in a pushchair, which I agree is silly, I thought it was an excellent speech that raised some pertinent questions, especially regarding colonialism and disability, that many people would prefer to keep under the mat.
I think the reaction is because some on the hard right see Catherine as potentially a very effective MP and a threat to the privilege they enjoy, so are scared shitless by her.
And probably justifiably so – this is the woman who took on the mining companies in the Coromandel – and won!
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 12:51 pm
David, there’s times where you can be surprisingly tolerant and mature, this isn’t one of them. There’s times where I, and possibly others, impute improper motive to you too, but again this isn’t one of them. Your meaning is clear.
Heaven forbid someone have strongly held and radical beliefs. Mock their passions, trivalise their concerns and ambitions, denigrate their honesty. David, you often claim no responsibility for the odious comments that populate this blog, but this post shows you have far more in common with redbaiter and co than you’d admit.
I have concerns about some of this speech, but I admire someone who’s dedicated themselves to what they believe rather than the glib cynicism evident here.
How would you elevate any maiden speech you might (aspire to) give beyond declaring your faith in markets? I suspect you’d rather just throw rocks from the sidelines anyway.
[DPF: I thought it was a nutty speech. Not nutty as in insane, but nutty as in wildly over the top, radical and extreme. I've praised many maiden speeches from MPs not in National. The reason I mock instead of praise this one is because of the content.]
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 12:53 pm
Hi Pete – Would you mind rewriting Catherines speech in language which is understandable to the common person, such as myself and others who frequent this site?
I believe DPF was trying to do a public service by attempting a translation. You appear to be able to understand it perfectly.
Just post it here when you’re finished.
Thank you
CL
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 12:56 pm
I met Delahunty at the debate between the Pieman and Derek Fox.
She is seriously bat-shit crazy and even has the wild gleam in her eye……moving quietly off to talk to Moana Mackey was the sensible option. Even talking to a pinko was better than talking to the truly mad.
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 12:56 pm
DPF said: [DPF: As I have asked before, please don't refer to female MPs as bitches. Final warning before demerits]
When Prebble was ACT Leader was it okay to refer to him as a “mad dog”, or did that get demerits too?
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 12:59 pm
mad dog is a term of endearment
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 1:06 pm
So by that logic we all should be referred to as temporarily oxygenated, on the basis that one day we will all be dead.
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 1:07 pm
Whaleoil said: She is seriously bat-shit crazy and even has the wild gleam in her eye…
…and after you completed your medical degree you did three years’ postgrad study in psychiatry, Whaleoil?
I’ve known Catherine since the 80′s through various NGOs we’ve both been invovled with, worked with her in the same workplace for a period in the 90s, and sat on the Green Party Executive with her for four years this decade. And you picked up something about her mental health in a few seconds at an election debate that I’ve missed over all those years. Silly me.
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 1:08 pm
I’m very concerned about her partner, who has to “live issues of justice” every day.
How does he cope with this huge burden?
Toad- have to agree, youre wasted with the Greens. (pardon the pun)
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 1:09 pm
[DPF: As I have asked before, please don't refer to female MPs as bitches. Final warning before demerits]
You extend to the women in question a level of civility she would not appreciate or respect, I am fairly sure she would see your attempts to “protect her” as an example of your chauvinistic and sexist approach to females.
However, as it is your site you make the rules and I will obey them, in future I will reserve any reference to canine females for the most extreme cases and take my demerits like a man.
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 1:09 pm
Well it’s not like the Herald has done two profiles on her since the election. You should probably look harder.
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 1:13 pm
Toad
Can you drop the solidarity bullshit for five minutes?, you cannot convince me you agree with everything this mad woman has to say or agree with every stupid idea she has.
If we were to follow her ideas on race relations we would have a civil war within a year……………..or perhaps that’s what the Greens actually want.
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 1:14 pm
It people like Catherine Delahunty that we need – to bring the timely demise of the green party forward.
This is a disturbed women.
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 1:18 pm
(ahem..!..excuse the duplication..this went into the wrong thread..)
“..# philu (3813) Vote: Add rating 1 Subtract rating 9 Says:
February 12th, 2009 at 10:21 am
btw..as an aside..
..catherine delahunty thinking herself a comedian…is a grande self-delusion…
..delahunty may be a few things..(and she may well turn out to be a competent m.p..)
..but ‘funny’..
..sure as hell isn’t one of them..
..in a few years of reasonably close observation..
..i wasn’t even aware she thought herself ‘funny’..
..cos’ i never saw her make anyone ‘laugh’..
..and it came as quite a shock to me to see those skills claimed in her bio..
(and funnily enough..in arguments etc in green party quarters..
..it used to piss delahunty off that i used humour/one-liners so effectively to deflect/show up whatever silliness she was trotting out at the time..)
..(delahunty saying she is a comedian..
..is kinda like someone like pita sharples saying he supports/argues for tory/anti-worker legislation..eh.?
..oh..!..hang on..!..)
phil(whoar.co.nz)
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 1:19 pm
BB, Toad doesn’t, I don’t and you don’t have to agree with Delahunty. That’s not the point. The point is it’s her maiden speech, her opportunity to declare her beliefs and aspirations. You mightn’t share them, you mightn’t understand them, but to simply denigrate them is boorish in the extreme. The NZ parliament is diverse and democratic. There’s lots of people there whose views different from mine and yours, that’s as it should be and is to our advantage.
There’s a tendency at kiwiblog for commentators to vehemently denigrate women, particularly those left of centre. It’d be nice if the host and the guests showed some restraint – restraint I suspect they show some of when not sitting at a computer.
[DPF: There is diversity, and there is also extremism. If an MP got up and spoke in their maiden speech about how we should shoot petty criminals, build white only settlements, and abolish income tax, I don't think people would argue they should not be mocked.]
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 1:19 pm
Here I was reading DPF’s post thinking “something must have been lost in editing her speech for DPF’s post”.
Ah…..no!
I’ve been and read a full transcript. I’ve never read such a rambling, non-sensical and batty speech before in my life. My 10 year old boy’s attempt at the school speech competition last year made more sense. It didn’t help when I re-read it a couple of times.
I never thought I’d think Bardford, Nandor and Locke were mainstream.
Hopefully she’ll be completely out of her depth and we won’t hear of her again (although the downside is we’ll still be paying for her).
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 1:20 pm
No other MP has received this sort of reaction here to their maiden speech.
No other maiden speech has been this truly ridiculous and out of touch since KB started, I suspect.
I admire someone who’s dedicated themselves to what they believe rather than the glib cynicism evident here.
Lots of people have dedicated beliefs in capitalism. Do you admire them? How about those with dedicated beliefs in creationism, Scientology, witchcraft, UFOs et cetera?
Your glib acceptance of an addled brain as a representative of Parliament is more deluded than any so-called cynicism.
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 1:29 pm
What a moonbat! She sounds like a caricature of your baby boomer hippie still stuck fighting the old battles from the 1960′s while the rest of the world has long since moved on. The green party moves ever further away from being the party of the environment.
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 1:32 pm
No, not always. Uncritically held views frustrate the hell out of me. Sibboleths of any persuassion are hollow. But yes, I do respect the right of people to believe stuff differently from me. I also have respect for advocates of more orthodox economics than I’m prepared to swallow. Mystical stuff is a little different from politics and I’m mostly an empiricist so too much religiosity and I tend to struggle…
I can be overly critical, dismissive, glib. I don’t claim to be above the fray, I just thought David’s post was way too personal and dismissive of Delahunty ’cause she’s a little more florid than he’d like.
I’m sick of the banal, the mundane, the everyday and though some of Delahunty’s speech made me wonder, at least it’s genuine and passionate. The colourless speeches concern me much more ’cause I wonder what the authors bring to the Chamber that’s not there in ample numbers already?
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 1:38 pm
it was our unique duty to resist the system while wearing a lot of black clothing.
Retired ninja?
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 1:45 pm
“I’ve known Catherine since the 80’s through various NGOs we’ve both been invovled with, worked with her in the same workplace for a period in the 90s, and sat on the Green Party Executive with her for four years this decade. And you picked up something about her mental health in a few seconds at an election debate that I’ve missed over all those years. Silly me.”
Maybe that’s because to you Toad, looking from the perspective that you would, she would seem perfectly normal.
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 1:47 pm
I suppose if we didn’t have to pay this woman a parliamentary salary she would be bludging off the taxpayer in some other way. I guess her partner `who lives issues f justice every day’ has his greasy snout in the trough as well.
MMP has a lot to answer for when a person as extreme as this mad woman can get into parliament.
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 1:50 pm
What do they bring? A point of view that is not totally fucking crazy.
This Delahunty woman is either mad or terminally stupid (or both). I know that those same adjectives can be applied, with equal validity, to nearly everyone on the left, but this…. “woman”… deserves a new category all of her own.
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 1:57 pm
Meh, I’d keep Upton, Bolger, Doug Graham, Birch, English and Brownlee too plus Findlayson has the makings of a real leader but you’d be welcome to Ryall, Smith, Sowry, Creech, Bradford, Simich (actually he’s the ultimate beige MP, what on earth was his so-called message) and of course Brash – Brash who ultimately believed nothing, or at least was prepared to pretend belief in almost anything. I don’t agree Joyce’s politics, but it looks like he’s got a fair bit to offer.
I could name some on Labour’s side too but I’ll keep my own counsel on that.
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 2:09 pm
I agree, this is mmp at its worst. The anti smacking is another example. Hopefully John Key will start up a referendum to change it.
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 2:25 pm
The interesting thing about this thread is that of all the comments denigrating Catherine’s speech, none of them actually debate the issues she spoke about. It is all ad hominem:
Oh, the intellectual rigour of it all! If you disagree with her politics and her arguments, at least put up your reasons why and arguments to counter them. But outright abuse such as this, backed by no argument, serves only to undermine your credibility, not hers.
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 2:45 pm
“The international financial crisis is inextricably linked to climate change and if we can’t work the linkage out then Papatuanuku will spell it out for us.”
Sorry toad but come on, this type of madness is beyond reasoning. Can you enlighten us?
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 2:58 pm
Try here mike12.
You (and DPF) are portraying it as if she said the international financial crisis was caused by climate change. She didn’t say that.
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 2:58 pm
Toad, what you’ve suggested is reasonable when most of what’s been said is reasoned, if controversial. But her babble (incl singing FFS) is not deserving of serious critique. Surely you can see that?!? I suspect you are publicly defending her because she’s a Green and would do likewise had Goofy made it in on the Green list.
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 3:02 pm
mike12,
Vote:come now, she has told you that “Papatuanuku will spell it out for us”
Cant you just accept that you denier you.
February 12th, 2009 at 3:04 pm
What or who is Papatuanuku?
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 3:18 pm
What or who is Papatuanuku?
“Papatūānuku – the earth mother
Papatūānuku’s children
Hineahuone and Tāne
Creating the world
In the Māori creation tradition (there are numerous versions), Papatūānuku, along with Ranginui, the sky, was born in the darkness known as Te Pō. Papatūānuku and Ranginui had several children while remaining in an embrace. The children grew frustrated with living in darkness between their parents, and conspired to separate them by thrusting Ranginui above and Papatūānuku below. Thus the world of light, Te Ao Mārama, came into being.”
All sounds above board to me BB
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 3:19 pm
I think that’s a false equivalence; being a protester and a greenie, even a vaguely animistic spiritualist one, is not the same as advocating apathied or capital punishment… besides I think Toad’s making the point I’d try to make better by simply quoting all the vitriol aimed at Delahunty so I’ll leave it at that.
[DPF: I think Delahunty is as far left as it is possible to go. I'm trying to think of someone to the left of her, but can't]
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 3:30 pm
Cheers Mike12
Interesting, I imagine like most pinko’s Delahunty is fervently against Christianity and would call herself an atheist.
Given that I have no interest in middle eastern superstition either this is the one thing that Delahunty and I may well agree on.
The problem I have is that in one breath she berates western religion and the next she spouts all that Maori rubbish about earth mothers and fathers..etc.
The woman is ether mad, or suffering from the very worst case of guilty white syndrome that I have ever seen.
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 3:33 pm
DPF said: If an MP got up and spoke in their maiden speech about how we should shoot petty criminals, build white only settlements, and abolish income tax…
I thought David Garret did. Well, almost.
[DPF: David is only in favour of shooting serious criminals
]
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 3:39 pm
You don’t need a medial degree to spot THAT pathology from a distance.
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 3:39 pm
She’s thrown you completely! What a day! What a reaction!
Vote:Big bruv – what or who is papatuanuku – you slay me!
Big bruv’s got a Delahunty fixation – sings – Can’t take my eyes of a you
February 12th, 2009 at 3:40 pm
Gee Toad
If you are going to have a crack at Garret at the very least please apply a little intellectual rigour to it, If you disagree with his politics and his arguments, at least put up your reasons why and arguments to counter them. But outright abuse such as this, backed by no argument, serves only to undermine your credibility, not his.
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 3:47 pm
greenfly
“Big bruv’s got a Delahunty fixation – sings – Can’t take my eyes of a you”
Yep, have to admit that I do Greenfly, I am in Wellington next month, I plan to do a lot of driving around in the biggest, least environmentally friendly vehicle I can find, while I am going about my business I want to keep a mental pic of Delahunty in my mind just in case she steps out in front of me on Lambton quay, I would hate to run over the wrong person.
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 3:49 pm
Don’t forget these are the people who tell us to bike to work but are “too busy” not to use our tax dollars for their cars.
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 3:49 pm
SNORT!!
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 3:54 pm
Oh well then, that’s fine. You get the lighter fluid and I’ll go find some kindling…
[DPF: I don't think mocking a speech is quite a burning or lynching. And I know the difference is subtle, but I am mocking the speech, not her. If she does says or does something good, I'll praise her for that. Keith Locke's politics are probably close to as extreme as Delahunty, but I have often said nice things about Keith - and in fact regard him as a nice guy - albeit very misguided!]
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 3:55 pm
SNORT!!
piss take
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 3:58 pm
I hoped so – replace my “SNORT!!” with “Giggle!” then.
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 4:13 pm
Don’t need kindling, witches are made of wood. Duh.
Its her or the duck!
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 4:21 pm
big bruv threatens the life of an MP. Wonder if that’ll show up on your file, Mr B?
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 4:32 pm
I’m sure the moronic tangent her speech derailed toward was entirely the result of some phase of the moon and/or planetary allignment. That being said, can someone explain how the current recession is linked to climate change? The only link I can see is that climate change policy will likely be shelved while economies recover, however this is merely a consequence of less money being available for a luxury, and should not be considered a direct link. Certainly not an inextricable one.
Big bruv: papatuanuku was someone who did indecent things with their “life partner” rangi-something in front of the kids. Indeed they they used to do it with the kids sandwitched between them. Eventually the kids got fed up with being assaulted in this quasi-paedophilic manner, and since no child youth and family organisation existed at the time, the eldest kid engaged in self help and separated them (although this was probably to their ultimate advantage since the combined benefit to two solo parents is higher than that to a married couple). papatuanuku then became the ground while rangi-somethinig (apparently unaware of gravity) became the sky.
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 4:33 pm
toad said “dime, the term “temporarily abled bodied” is not a creation of Catherine Delahunty.
In fact it is terminology that is in common usage in the disability rights sector, reflecting the fact that that many people will develop disabilities at some point in their lives, due to accidents, illness (physical, mental or emotional), old age, or late-emerging effects of genetics.”
So toad – what you are essentially saying is that we are ALL disabled, but that some of us aren’t disabled yet – is that right? Hmmmmm ….
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 4:40 pm
FFS The woman is THE fruit loop in a House full of fruit loops.
If we put it to the test how many citizens would subscribe to her beliefs and philosophy. And if as I suspect they would fit into a telephone box then who the hell does she represent and is this not the House of Representatives and does that mean that we need a House large enough to represent even the 0.000001% of the population otherwise it cannot be desciribed as a House of Representatives
Jeeeeez Shes off the planet the lift doesnt go to the top floor 2 sandwiches short of a picnic Do I need to elaborate or is it that we have dumb and dumber in attendence today
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 5:00 pm
# PhilBest (4348) Vote: Add rating6 Subtract rating 3 Says:
February 12th, 2009 at 11:46 am
“Come ON, DPF, WTF is the NZ Parliament doing with someone in it that you have to feel so sorry for, that you can’t just say what you really think about her and her maiden speech; a bit like being nice to an intellectually handicapped child?”
# llew (1148) Vote: Add rating 4 Subtract rating 1 Says:
February 12th, 2009 at 11:50 am
“….. a bit like being nice to an intellectually handicapped child?
heh, Phil, you say that like it’s a bad thing.”
No, I hasten to make it clear that that is a good thing; but a member of PARLIAMENT……? I meant, too, that DPF was being too nice; other commentators have used the words “moonbat” and “fruitloop”, which is about it.
And Toad, that’s great, man, keep up that defence of her and the other loopier Greens, get as much media news and op-ed coverage as you can for them, the next 3 years should be fun, and with any luck, we’ll see the back of the Greens altogether next election, given the insult to voters intelligences that is implicit in inflicting this sort of thing on them.
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 5:00 pm
sheesh toad..!..
i only inferred she is as funny as a rectal probe..
..phil(whoar.co.nz)
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 5:03 pm
Ok, OK, perhaps I’m wrong, perhaps the Greens have done the decent thing in giving the mentally impaired a voice in parliament, heck, every other special needs group is represented…..
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 5:04 pm
She can’t be worse than Alamein Kopu can she?
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 5:06 pm
philu, that +1 karma point I just gave you must be the second one ever (I seem to remember giving you one before somewhere back in history).
Keep it up, you obviously care about the fate of the Greens in parliament, you see if you can talk Toad out of this…….
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 5:08 pm
Hmmm, good point, Ilew; different kind of “bad”, though…..
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 6:19 pm
paradigm said: The only link I can see is that climate change policy will likely be shelved while economies recover, however this is merely a consequence of less money being available for a luxury, and should not be considered a direct link. Certainly not an inextricable one.
That is the link paradigm. The short-term financial crisis threatens to derail/defer responses to the long-term (and much more economically serious) issue of addressing climate change. But people who don’t think beyond the end of their working lives presumably don’t give a stuff.
And, as I said above, DPF and others are attempting to attribute a causal relationship between the international financial crisis and climate change in her speech – which just isn’t there.
It is, however, highly arguable that there is a causal relationship between peak oil and the international financial crisis. But I won’t go any further with that right now, because I’m hoping for an early night.
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 6:58 pm
It’s all here on Youtube for your viewing plesure. The singing starts at 13:40ish. If reading the script caused you some angst, actually listening to the woman is downright cringeworthy. We pay her. She, apparently, represents us. What a nonsense.
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 7:08 pm
getstaffed said: She, apparently, represents us.
Well, she does represent me. There is the odd thing I disagree with her on, but for the most part she will say and vote for the things I want to hear said and voted for in Parliament. And there are a lot of us whom she does represent.
I guess Rodney Hide or John Key say most of the things you want said in Parliament most of the time. But not everyone shares your views getstaffed. Much as I disagree with a lot of what Rodney and John stand for (well, I haven’t quite worked out what John stands for yet), I acknowledge that they represent the views of many New Zealanders.
Can you afford the same courtesy to those who represent views you disagree with?
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 7:33 pm
toad, The kind of rubbish emanating from Delahunty’s mouth is about as non-representative of NZers views as is possible. How many people ticked her name on Election Day? Zero. Nil. Zilch.
I had regarded you as a sensible chap. Granted that we don’t agree on much, but at least you are intelligent and reasonable. This woman is clearly a few loaves short of a picnic, and your support of her, presumably because she sneaked in on the Green list, only serves to discredit you.
I’m with others here who think that your ability & environmental concern would be best employed in a sane party, while leaving the Greens to wallow in the intelligence-bereft ideological soup of their own making.
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 7:34 pm
Wow – I felt like I’d just come from a Green Party encounter group in the Coromandel convened to simultaneously worship Mother Gaia, save the whales, replace evil capitalist cities with self sustaining composting toileted communes, ban the use of cars/cell phones/pies/soft drinks, make morris dancing and bicycle riding compulsory, fund a Maori Parliament as penance for Imperial colonialism, ban women from shaving their legs and armpits, remove the Jews from Palestine and appoint an economic council comprising of Mao Tse Tung, Che Geuvara, Hugo Chavez and Fidel Castro then have jails replaced by restorative justice centres where violent criminals can be soothed from their criminal ways by eating tofu and listening to waiata.
There isn’t a PC bandwagon this woman has not jumped on and a tax payer funded hui or seminar she has missed or a protest march she didn’t help organise.
The very evil capitalism she despises made the profits that were then taxed to fund her mutiple degrees, likely benefits, Qango stipends and govt paid jobs she’s had. She’s so removed ideologically from the real world lived in by middle NZ that even Rod Donald and Jeanette Fitzsimon appear moderate next to her. The beauty is she is utterly unaware of her radicalism and the extreme left wing taint she gives the party already infested with watermelons.
I should send her tickets to the all-meat BBQ at the next NASCAR race meet in the middle of Texas or Oklahoma!
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 8:08 pm
getstaffed said: How many people ticked her name on Election Day? Zero. Nil. Zilch.
Well, actually, 1,684 people did, and that was in the East Coast electorate where she stood alone, which is one of the more conservative in the country. Furthermore, Catherine, like all Green candidates at the last election, campaigned only to maximise the Green Party vote, rather than to attempt to win the electorate.
kiwi in america said: I should send her tickets to the all-meat BBQ at the next NASCAR race meet in the middle of Texas or Oklahoma!
Yep, sent her the tickets (I presume if you really want her to go you’ll also send the airline tickets to get there and back – international travel for NZ MPs is not paid for by the Government).
Contrary to the sort of stereotyping we’re seeing here, I’m pretty sure Catherine does eat meat. I suspect she would be bored by motor racing though – NHL likely more her thing as far as sport is concerned.
Hey, just as well she is not Maori and Lesbian – then she really would be you guys’ worst nightmare!
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 8:20 pm
The short-term financial crisis threatens to derail/defer responses to the long-term (and much more economically serious) issue of addressing climate change
Fuck me. Is there anything you guys don’t blame the free market for? Toad – I thought you were better than this. Blind support for a – I’ll say it again – complete nutbar is not necessary just because she’s Green. Think for yourself, cobber.
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 8:28 pm
Toad. She was only 640 votes from finishing dead dog last in the electorate
If you take a close look at that electorate you’ll see about 17% of the green party vote didn’t vote for Delahunty as a candidate. About the same number that only cast a party vote. What does that say about her?
95% of her own electorate didn’t want her so why the f%#k is she in parliament?
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 8:52 pm
Toad
“Hey, just as well she is not Maori”
Yep, but you and I both know she really really wants to be.
I imagine she wakes up every morning and bursts into tears when realises that the hour she spent the previous night furiously polishing her bone carving has not transformed her into a Maori.
I cannot fathom that pain or guilt the poor soul has to live with being born white.
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 9:39 pm
As a representative of the green movement that Delahunty purports to be, she can do nothing but harm to her cause. Her rambling style, extreme viewpoint and tailored vocabulary make her the catalyst for a drop in green party support. Her mannerisms, style and personality may well whip up support on the extremes of the green movement, but will do nothing to broaden support in other areas.
Nandor, even though his appearance caused some derision, was an eloquent speaker who was able to articulate Green and Youth issues in such a way as to make those who needed to be convinced, actually listen to what he had to say.
It is seemingly becoming more apparent that the Green Party in New Zealand is being taken over by political activists who are using environmentalist concerns as a political trojan horse so that they can further more extreme measures. MMP is the mechanism that has made it possible but this time they will not have the influence they once had while Labour was in power.
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 9:47 pm
Big Bruv, feel free to put your name on the ballot anytime you want. I’m sure your brand of politics will garner the support it deserves and you’ll be magically transported to parliament. Just click your heels thrice…
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 9:56 pm
oo-boy, I bet HER SIS file makes for some very good reading!!
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 10:02 pm
Paul
What is it about one rule for all that you find so scary?
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 10:12 pm
BB, what on earth’s that mean? Firstly, I’ve not problem the rule of law and nothing I’ve said in this discussion could really be interpreted to mean I did (have a problem with the rule of law). Secondly, Delahunty put her name on a ballot paper and, under the well established and understood electoral rules, was elected a member of a democratic, unicameral parliament. I’m merely suggesting you could do the same if you were so inclined and then you’d have less to complain about…
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 10:17 pm
“justice-based peace”
This is the kind of peace where peace-loving flower-carrying Greenies support murderous theocracies like Hamas in their eternal quest for Justice until there are no Jews left around. Go figure….
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 10:39 pm
TimG_Oz… and precisely where did Delahunty make this claim? Just another strawman argument.
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 10:48 pm
Sorry Paul … full quote:
“justice-based peace. This justice is desperately needed from Ruatoki to Gaza.”
Please define for me what is “justice-based peace” in the context of Gaza that she meant. Why not just peace? You know the non-violent kind? I mean, that kinda would look a bit strange then to just support non-violent peace, which is what the Israelis want .. no it appears she supprts the “justice-based” peace that can be a violent struggle… maybe a few rockets, suicide bombings, etc. Maybe more than a few….
So have the Green’s ever denounced Hamas’ violence? Ever? And they’re charter?
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 11:08 pm
I don’t speak for the Green’s Tim, I’m not a member, never have been. I find a lot of their foriegn policy positions a little to ideological but I don’t know what they think about Hamas. I do know that you’ve stretched Delahunty’s comments to suit your purpose. I also think you’re claim that “Israelis want” non-violent peace a little hard to reconcile with some of their less peaceful actions. You’ll no doubt feel they’ve been justified, I may not but it’s not black and white, never has been.
A just peace, I assume, is one where wars don’t occur not just because one side’s got military superiority, but also because the human rights of both are observed. Doesn’t sound too crazy to me.
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 11:31 pm
Unfortunately Paul, that won’t wash with the NZ Green Party, who essentially want the Israelis wiped out. Or moved somewhere no-one else wants to live. Perhaps Kevin Hague could get them some land on the West Coast?
Vote:February 12th, 2009 at 11:37 pm
“I do know that you’ve stretched Delahunty’s comments to suit your purpose.”
Have I? Well, given that she is emphasising this “justice” thing, how am I meant to infer it? You yourself only assume (your quote, not mine).
The Greens actively protested Israel, and were not satisfied with calls to cease violence on both sides. They were quite happy to associate with people and organiasations that distorted history. And they have not condemned Hamas, who lets face it are pretty much the instigator of violence.
During my personal correspondence with Keith Locke, he stated that he preferred to ignore the nasty things in Hamas charter (like “we are looking forward to killing the Jews”), and focus on the single nice thing. Why would he ignore it? And why are the Green’s happy with Hamas as “colleagues”?
Now you can get up on your high horse about your perception of what my position on Israel is all you want. It’s a pity you missed in the other posts I wrote about my activity in promoting peace and dialogue between the two populations through the nineties during my time in Israel. If you want to talk real peace start looking towards people like Amos Oz, and the work he has done. Oh, BTW, Hamas actively target any Arabs in friendly dialog with Jews.
If you want me to post my private e-mails with Locke here (or see the photo of me and Amos Oz), then let me know. otherwise STFU
Vote:February 13th, 2009 at 1:28 am
TimG_OZ said:
I’m not going to stumble into a well established personal disagreement over the Middle East, not with you or between you and Locke. Locke’s not at issue here and I don’t know what Green’s think about Israel (but assume you’re not completely misquoting it).
Delahunty used a pretty common rhetorical device to make a point about justice. It’s not a crazy one and it’s not dependent or qualified necessarily by Locke. Locke’s views are relevant to establishing the Green’s position, again which I don’t know, but it’s still a stretch to make Delahuntry responsible for what Locke’s said in private to you. Surely you see that?
Vote:February 13th, 2009 at 2:35 am
Big Bruv: “Interesting, I imagine like most pinko’s Delahunty is fervently against Christianity and would call herself an atheist.”
Really, cos I’m atheist, and fervently against Christianity, but I still think Delahunty (remember “democratheid”) and the Melon Party are nutjobs, and not all “pinkos” (assuming you mean LGBT) are socialist. Chris Finlayson, one of the most respected people in the NP hierarchy, is, to use your word, a “pinko”, and despite the Republican Party under the control of the religious right at the moment, there are a couple of gay Republicans in the U.S. Senate
Vote:February 13th, 2009 at 5:28 am
“She can’t be worse than Alamein Kopu can she?” Of course, she can and the truth is …. she will be.
Hold on to your seats for the next three years of all sorts of deranged, lunatic, and intemperate comments from this mad MP. She’ll blame white people, capitalism and the market for everything that moves.
Like some of her Luddite Green Party colleagues Mrs. Delahunty is barking mad, as simple as that.
Vote:February 13th, 2009 at 6:01 am
My largest problem with her speech is that she throws language around without really understanding what the words mean. (Unless she understands what they mean, in which case her facts etc are off).
The Maori people are not indigenous. Like pakeha, they settled in New Zealand. They simply did it at an early date. (Not even THAT much previously to the Europeans … a few centuries at most. While the European colonials didn’t treat the maori well, neither did many of the tribes treat each other well.
I’m sick and tired of having “systemic violence, theft and denial” rammed down my throat. It starts when you’re a kid – when you’re a six year old, and you’re told that your people are bad because they hurt other people, it actually ENCOURAGES separatism. How are kids supposed to deal with that? Constantly apologising to the maoris they meet?
When you get older, it’s worse. Two of my friends at university took law … one was white, of pakeha ancestry, had parents who juggled four jobs, earnt just over the minimum threshold for student allowance, so that my friend couldn’t get it … she’d been told how stupid she was by her teacher, that she’d never pass law … studied intensely, fretted like mad over whether she’d make the cut, and recently, she graduated and got accepted to the bar.
Another friend was 50% maori. She didn’t study too much, but she did get a C grade. Because of maori quotas to be filled, she made it to second year law. At the end of that year, she dropped out of university.
Where is the colonial privilege?
Until slates are wiped clean, grudges stop being held and all New Zealanders are treated equal, New Zealanders will not BE equal.
Vote:People like Mrs Delahunty just make things worse.
February 13th, 2009 at 8:19 am
Delahunty crystallises everything that is mad, bad and sad with the NZ green party.
The irony is that she and her fellow travellers will never comprehend this reality.
Vote:February 13th, 2009 at 8:21 am
Buggerlugs said: …who essentially want the Israelis wiped out. Or moved somewhere no-one else wants to live.
That, Buggerlugs, is essentially what the Israelis did to the Palestinians. Most of the residents in Gaza are either Palestinians who were forcibly expelled from towns and villages in what in now Israel during and following the 1948 Palestine War, or their descendents. They are not people who are indigenous to Gaza or who live there by choice.
What the Green Party wants is neither to see the Israelis wiped out or to see them forcibly moved anywhere – to advocate either of these options would be a total abrogation of the Green non-violence charter principle. What many Greens, including me, would like to see though, is Israeli acceptance of the right of Palestinians to return to their homelands in what is now Israel and participate in democratic processes there with all the same rights as Israelis.
I see that as the only way of securing a lasting peace in the Middle East, and I think that was what Catherine was talking about when she referred to justice-based peace and Gaza.
Vote:February 13th, 2009 at 8:33 am
Toad
“and I think that was what Catherine was talking about when she referred to justice-based peace and Gaza”
You only THINK you know what she is on about?
How delicious, you berate us for having an opinion about the woman that differs from the official Green party line yet the best you can up with to defend her is nothing more than a personal opinion of your own.
My opinion is that Delahunty does not care a jot about who is fighting or who is right or wrong, she is simply another left wing hater and wrecker who detests capitalism and the USA, if the Yanks were backing the Palestinians she would be right behind the Israeli’s
Vote:February 13th, 2009 at 8:48 am
Oh dear, bruv, you have got a thing about the Greens and the USA haven’t you! It’s worth noting that Catherine didn’t mention the USA once in her speech, and when she did mention capitalism, it was this:
which all sounds fairly reasonable and sensible to me.
And you say: “best you can up with to defend her is nothing more than a personal opinion of your own.” I didn’t write her speech for her, and haven’t talked about it with her since, so I can only state what I think she was meaning from my interpretation of the words she said – you’re really clutching at semantic straws with that one bruv.
Vote:February 13th, 2009 at 8:52 am
Not semantic straws Toad………………..Green party hypocrisy.
Or are only you guys allowed “an opinion”?
Vote:February 13th, 2009 at 9:41 am
Hmmm. You know in 1948, almost the same amount of Jews were displaced from their homes in the West Bank and Gaza. Does the NZ Greens support them and their descendents returning to their homes?
Given that this Right of Return that you support essentially becomes “no Israel” – then how do you propose Israelis will accept it peacefully? And if organisations like Hamas actively state that a peace process is unacceptable, and that no Jew will survive – then surely the Greens would criticise their position. At least Israelis actively want and seek peace.
Would the Greens instead change their position from wanting the Palestinians to return to their “homeland” to being compensated? That is Fatah’s position – seemingly NOT the NZ Greens.
Tell me Toad – how does a child in Gaza benefit from justice? They don’t – they need peace. Or would justice be their Hamas overlords stop turning them into soldiers by direct or indirect means.
What are some other synonyms of justice? Retribution? In Hamas’ world it’s an eye for an eye.
Vote:February 13th, 2009 at 10:02 am
I described her as an enemy of reason in November, because she opposed democracy, she blames society for domestic violence and collectivises everyone. She’s seriously unhinged.
She almost religiously stereotypes people in groups “pakeha racists drinking wine”, when does she start judging individuals on their behaviour, not whether they fit her simplistic structuralist views of power.
Vote:February 13th, 2009 at 10:16 am
What do you think motivates people to commit acts of domestic violence libertyscott?
Vote:February 13th, 2009 at 10:49 am
…either of these options would be a total abrogation of the Green non-violence charter principle.
Obviously Hamas haven’t received their copy of that yet.
Vote:February 13th, 2009 at 11:02 am
Buggerlugs, the Greens don’t condone the violence perpetrated by either side of the conflict. But it is important to address not just the violence, but the issues of injustice that have led to it, if a lasting peace is to be obtained.
Vote:February 13th, 2009 at 11:40 am
toad, I’d just like to register my respect for the calm and measured way you’re making your points, particularly in light of some of the personal and inflammatory comments directed at you.
Vote:February 13th, 2009 at 11:45 am
Dusky said:
There’s something about this story that is odd. There’s open entry into most university courses for adults, there’s transition programs for people who’re early school leavers, there’s programs for disadvantaged groups but all of these, in my experience (though it’s been a few years since I was in the higher education sector), give first year access only. I’m not aware of ‘quotas’, as you say, enabling people to progress with lower marks?
Are you sure you’ve got this right? What university?
Vote:February 13th, 2009 at 12:55 pm
Interestingly enough Toad does not want to address my questions.
Here is a message from the Green party of Israel to the Green party of America. It could well be to the Green party of New Zealand also.
http://www.green-party.org.il/public_statement.htm
Yet however the Green party of New Zealand – so isolated and removed seem to be so arrogant that they know the answers to this conflict. They propogate this term “justice” which they refuse to define, or provided wishy-washy one-sided simplified definitions that appear to show that Israeli’s do not deserve their “justice”.
And still they do not criticise Hamas.
Vote:February 13th, 2009 at 5:51 pm
Frog, Toad, whatever….
>>I think the reaction is because some on the hard right see Catherine as potentially a very effective MP
I think the reaction is because no one can believe that such a loon has ended up in a position of power.
>>and a threat to the privilege they enjoy
The only threat she provides is to the Greens staying above the 5% threshold. Please promote her to party leader.
>>so are scared shitless by her.
I’m scared shitless she’ll start “singing” again….
Vote:February 13th, 2009 at 9:14 pm
Paul Williams said:
“There’s something about this story that is odd. There’s open entry into most university courses for adults, there’s transition programs for people who’re early school leavers, there’s programs for disadvantaged groups but all of these, in my experience (though it’s been a few years since I was in the higher education sector), give first year access only. I’m not aware of ‘quotas’, as you say, enabling people to progress with lower marks?
Are you sure you’ve got this right? What university?”
Yes, I am quite certain I’ve got this right – and it was Otago, less than a decade ago. (Which also means I have no idea whether it initially came out of a National or Labour government. As far as facts go, there were at that time (I assume still, as I doubt Labour would have changed things), additional funds provided for maori/pacific islanders in courses.
How large the quotas were, I’m not certain – but there were a certain number of maori places that were to be filled before non-maori. As I understand it, these quotas only applied to the entry of second year law, when students would either start their degree in earnest, or spin off to study something else if they failed to qualify.
Vote: