Taniwhas on Twitter
Michael Field at Stuff reports:
Horotiu, the taniwha potentially blocking the tracks of Auckland’s multi-billion dollar rail dream, is the latest celebrity to open a Twitter account.
The taniwha has also gone global, with London’s Daily Telegraph headlining: “‘Swamp monster’ threatens Auckland railway project”.
Drawing on a Stuff story, the Telegraph quotes Glenn Wilcox, a member of the Auckland City Council’s Maori Statutory Board, demanding protection for Horotiu.
“As kaitiaki, or guardians, they protect people, but they also get up and bite you if they do not like what you are doing,” Mr Wilcox said.
On Twitter the debate has sparked two new accounts – TaniwhaHorotiu and HorotiuTaniwha.
The first carries an early complaint that taniwha do not make an international list of mythical creatures.
The two twitter accounts have even been chatting to each other Some of the tweets have been:
- @TaniwhaHorotiu Yur a dirty faker, I’m the real Taniwha, go find your own drain bro
- @LIVENewsDesk What about hate crimes against taniwha? Lots of haters out there dissing Horotiu
- @AKcitymission Can i join youse fellas?…i’m about to be made homeless by Len Brown
- Steven Joyce has been bad mouthing my bros the Fiscal Taniwha http://bit.ly/jZcjWG
Steven Joyce’s quote was superb:
Transport Minister Steven Joyce said the project appeared to be plagued by taniwha.
“It does not massively surprise me,” he said. “Treasury found a few fiscal taniwhas as well, so it doesn’t surprise me that another one has turned up.”
I think the term “fiscal taniwha” should be adopted by Treasury for use in all future business case evaluations.