The difference between the Facebook responses and the Twitter responses are interesting. Twitter people went massively for STV while Facebook went massively for SM. Very few people went for FPP or PV. Almost all those who chose FPP said they were doing so tactically as they were MMP supporters, and see FPP as the system least likely to win in 2014 if there is a second referendum.

Some tentative conclusions I draw.

1. Those on Twitter and Facebook (well those who follow me anyway) are far more politically astute than the general population, as FPP is by far the most popular option with the public who only know FPP and MMP, but very few picked it in this survey.
2. If one assumes that those who punted for SM tend to be more right leaning, it suggests that people on Twitter are more left-leaning. This reinforces my general impression over a couple of years.
3. I think those who are of a different political persuasion to each other are generally more willing to engage on Twitter, than on Facebook. You tend to see someone’s Facebook page as “their property” so don’t challenge them as much, while Twitter is seen as basically neutral ground and one gets far more challenging of views.
4. Most MMP supporters will vote for STV and most MMP opponents will vote for SM, at least amongst the politically aware. This is based on my general knowledge of those who responded. I didn’t ask about Part A as I didn’t want it to turn into a debate on MMP. I may do a later informal survey on Part A.

I’m still amazed that to the best of my knowledge there are no TV debates scheduled on the referendum. Sure there has been the odd segment on Breakfast TV or Close Up where proponents have exchanged views. But I think the referendum deserves the same scrutiny as the election. There should be a 60 to 90 minute debate or debates. I’d do it like a leader’s debates. Have a couple of proponents for keep MMP and change MMP and a panel of journalists questioning them. Pretty much like Radio NZ did it, but you know on TV where you reach massively more viewers.

The only problem with Trevor’s “gotcha” expose is that @NZNational is a fake account, probably run by one of his activists.

Now I’ll give Trevor the benefit of the doubt, and assume he didn’t know it was a fake account, rather than the alternative which is he was deliberately setting out to deceive.

But so Trevor doesn’t make himself look foolish in future, here’s some things to look at, to work out a fake account.

1. Check their full description on their homepage.
2. Look at some of their recent tweets. Do they look like the tweets you would expect from that person or organisation
3. Check out how many followers they have. As this one had only 91 followers, pretty obvious it is a fake.

It’s not that hard to work out real and fake accounts. The only time I had difficulty was working out the difference between the parody Catherine Delahunty account and the real one.

UPDATE: I have had it pointed out to me that Mallard in fact knew the account was not rea as he had been told multiple times on Twitterl, so it was a deliberate attempt to deceive. Nice to know Labour’s campaign manager continues high normal high ethical standards. It’s a silly strategy because it means the public and journalists will distrust stuff on Red Alert.

Heh. Hat Tip: Toby Manhire at The Listener

The number of MPs tweeting – sending messages of 140 characters or fewer – has more than doubled from 111 in January last year to 275 today, and is expected to go on rising as more politicians sign up.

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.

Social media will play a big part in the election campaign this year, but MPs and their supporters are being warned not to send messages using Twitter on election day. …

The commission would be making use of social media to promote the election, but would also be monitoring it to ensure people were following the law.

Electioneering on election day is an offence under the Electoral Act, with fines of up to $20,000.

“Tweeting, like any form of communication with the public where you are seeking to influence, is a breach of the act [if done on election day],” Mr Peden said.

Action would be taken against people caught sending tweets aimed at influencing voters on election day.

It is no surprise that the same rules apply to Twitter, as to any other medium.  The rules are in s127 of the Electoral Act, specifically s217(1)(g)(i) and (iv).

at any time on polling day before the close of the poll exhibits in or in view of any public place, or publishes, or distributes, or broadcasts
(i) any statement advising or intended or likely to influence any elector as to the candidate or party for whom the elector should or should not vote; or
(iv) any party name, emblem, slogan, or logo; or

So even mentioning the name of a party on Twitter on election day could be a breach. I doubt action would be taken unless it was in the context of the election.

Of course not everyone on Twitter uses their real name, or has contact details, so any enforcement action could prove problematic.

http://twitter.com/#search?q=%23surnamegenitalia

• Frodo’s Baggins
• Alan’s bollard.
• John’s Key
• Elizabeth’s Windsor
• Phil’s goff
• Mel’s gibson
• Charlotte’s dawson
• Ann’s coulter
• Cameron’s slater
• Russell’s brand
• Vladimir’s Putin
• Simon’s power
• Halle’s berry
• Nelly’s furtado
• Farrah’s fawcett
• Nicole’s whippy
• Paul’s henry
• Pippa’s wetzell

More are coming at at the rate of several a minute. Oh I do love Twitter.

I think the government should consider appointing an independent person to inquire into how this happened.

Meanwhile Twitter has had fun, with the #defenceforcejobinterview tag providing:

• I raced against Usain Bolt in the 2008 Beijing Olympics; finished in the top 6, but he got all of the attention
• I convinced Tolkien to become a writer
• You’ve never seen one of course,but my face is in fact on the Medals at the olympics in recognition my successes
• Well, I get a bit upset when people call it “divine” intervention. But hey, that’s life

• Hairy Maclary was actually Lynley’s ‘special’ name for me in bed
• Well I made up sign language! Helen Keller just happened to be there at the time!
• So I said to Winston C, “Why not attack them on the beaches?
• It was gonna be Oceans 3, but I said, Why not ask George, Brad, Matt, if they have any mates they wanna bring…

• I was there when Māui fished up the North Island… I was the one who suggested he use his granny’s jawbone hook!

• If you look at the footage of the ’87 RWC victory, I’m the guy in the red jacket behind David Kirk.
• Richard actually based Rocky Horror on a Hamilton Boy’s College after ball party we had
• “It was just an offhand remark, but I said what if you made it TWO all beef patties, Special sauce…. “
• I did some PR consulting work for Shakespeare a few years back. Before then, they spelled bard with a small b.

• I told him, that jarjarbinks character was gunna ruin the movie, but would he listen ?

• Well love, as there’s still cancer I’ll admit that I’ve got at least one weakness

Also Brenda Wallace has a list of MPs on Twitter.

Twittering public servants waste work of four

Public servants spend at least 8482 hours a year on Twitter, a Dominion Post investigation suggests – the equivalent of a year’s work for four full-time staff.

Later in the article we find:

Of those departments allowing Twitter access, most reported monthly use of five to 10 minutes per staffer.

So an average of 15 to 30 seconds a day. Jesus Christ – how does this qualify to be a story. I wish media would report news more rather than invent it.

The general election campaign claimed its first scalp today when Labour sacked one of its candidates in Scotland who posted dozens of offensive comments on his Twitter page.

The spectacular “Twitter suicide” overshadowed Labour’s formal campaign launch in Scotland and left Gordon Brown fuming.

Stuart MacLennan, 24, a rising star of the Scottish Labour Party who was standing in the Moray constituency, shut down his account on the microblogging site early this morning after The Scottish Sun reported that he had branded the elderly “coffin-dodgers”.

He had also labelled the Commons Speaker John Bercow a “t**”, David Cameron a “t***” and Nick Clegg, the Liberal Democrat leader, “a b******”.

Oh dear “coffin dodgers” is not going to get in over 60 vote for Labour.

Nor was his ire limited to the political world. The Sun reported that Mr MacLennan called the X Factor judge Louis Walsh a “c***”, referred to Jedward as “odious little s***s” and wrote: “I f****** hate Paolo Nutini”.

Well he has a point, with those descriptions, but best not to think out loud when you are planning to stand for Parliament.

Timeliness – a big tick for this one. The advisory was released well before the potential tsunami was due to hit NZ.

Media – NZ Herald and Stuff websites carried the info, as did Breakfast TV. Seemed to do well keeping media informed.

Website – Not so good here. The main Civil Defence website did say an advisory had been issued, but nowhere on the site could you actually get the full details of it. The media do not always get things absolutely correct, and people should be able to go to authoritative sources.

Radio – people were told to listen to their radios for any local evacuation instructions. I think at some stage this strategy may have to be revisited. With ipods, more and more people do not have or listen to the radio. To get through to younger people especially, the Internet and text messaging is going to be more relevant.

Twitter – Twitter was great as a way to alert people, and that is where I first heard about it. I suggested to Civil Defence that they should look at having an official Twitter account as it would have been good for people to be able to retweet an official advisory rather than second hand reports.

E-mail – I received the warning threat by e-mail at 8.06 am. That was 90 minutes before the first wave was due, so pretty good. Only complaint is the e-mail address they came from was cdevent@datasquirt.co.nz and that doesn’t look too official. Would be better for it to come from a govt.nz address.

Overall pretty good effort I though, as in by 0945when the first wave might hit, I would have thought most of the country was aware of the advisory.

@suebr is STILL a good candidate for NZ’s first political assassination. (watch sue run to the Police because of a death threat, stupid cow)

For those who do not know Twitter, the reference to @suebr means it will get seen by user “suebr” which is Sue Bradford herself.

While I am not sure I would classify the tweet as a literal death threat, even implicit threats of violence should have no part in our discourse.

Dave at Big News names the user as Henk van Helmond, formerly of CYFSWatch, based on some good detective work.

The media door-stopped van Hermond and his response is reported by the Herald:

CYFSwatch is run by Henk van Helmond, who yesterday wrote that though the threats had come from his account “it seems my password was hacked”.

Yeah, Right.

IrishBill at The Standard dives into the gutter as usual and tries to link the actions of van Hermond to the anti-EFA campaign and me personally and sees something sinister in the fact I did not report the original Sunday News story, implying somehow I condone such threat of violence.

As usual he could not be more wrong. I’m not sure if I have revealed this publicly before, but in 2007 there were similar threats made by someone with the CYFSWatch site (and my response is here) – maybe even the same person. Back then, their identities were tightly kept.

Someone from CYFSWatch commented on my site. Due to the threats that had made against Bradford, I passed on their identifying information (IP address) to Sue Bradford’s office and explained the Police could use this to trace them.

Bradford’s office in time passed this into the Police, and they contacted me and I provided the Police with information which allowed them to obtain from the ISP, the identity of the person holding the account which had made the threats.

As I said I don’t think I’ve ever blogged this info before (I think I did mention it once in a comment) but as someone too cowardly to even post under their own name is trying to link me to condoning or encouraging this sort of activity, I need to set the record straight.

UPDATE: Idiot/Savant also jumps into the gutter. Again someone who hides behind anonymity tries to smear someone who does not. You never tend to get these sort of smears from people who blog under their own name. That is because blogging under your own name forces you to think about consequences (well except for Whale!) of what you say on your own reputation.

The leader of the Conservative Party was forced to apologise this morning after swearing twice during a live radio interview.

In an apparent bid to prove that he was not out of touch, David Cameron appeared on the Christian O’Connell show on Absolute Radio to discuss his life outside Westminster. He turned his satirical fire on the latest internet craze, revealing that he was not on Twitter.

“Politicians do have to think about what they say,” said Mr Cameron.

“The trouble with Twitter, the instantness [sic] of it, is I think that too many twits might make a twat.”

The problem for David is that there are two meanings for the word twat. One is:

1 (British, offensive, slang) A contemptible and stupid person, idiot. Note this can be used affectionately

The other is:

2 (vulgar, slang) A vagina, pussy, vulva, clitoris

He then also on air used a far more minor swear word:

He told thousands of breakfast show listeners: “The public are rightly, I think, pissed off – sorry, I can’t say that in the morning – angry with politicians.”

And the radio host heard Cameron talking to his press secretary afterwards:

“He said (to her): ’That seemed to go OK.’

“She said: ’Yeah, apart from the language.’

“He said: ’Oh, yeah, pissed, sorry about that, I’m really sorry.’

“She said: ’No, it was the twat.’

“He said: ’That’s not a swear word.’

“His press secretary went: ’It is.”’

I would have liked to have seen his face when she explained exactly what the other meaning of the word was!

Now by coincidence I know a little something about tsunami warnings. Not because I am omniscient, but because I attended a briefing for media organisations a couple of months ago by the Ministry of Civil Defence and Emergency Management. And I have been waiting for an opportune moment to share my learnings.

You can read for yourself the handout we got at the briefing.  The key thing for me is this:

Basically you can almost ignore any warnings that comes from the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre. Generally the warnings they generate are automated. They are not saying there is a tsunami, let alone it may hit NZ. A warning gets generated on fixed criteria, such as an earthquake of a certain maginute within a particular area. The PTWC warnings are not designed for the general public, but for government agencies.

The MCDEM gets notified of any PTWC warning, plus receives its own data from Geonet. They then decide what risk, if any there is to NZ.  Most of the time there is none. They will then issue one of three statements:

1. No tsunami threat to NZ
2. Potential tsunami threat to NZ
3. Tsunami warning – threat to NZ

So unless the warning has come from MCDEM, it is just an automatically generated warning from PTWC. NZ gets around one of these a month, and none have ever eventuated in the last few decades.

However there may be times that a tsunami is generated locally. Or in other words it will hit within 30 to 60 minutes, not hours. If one is generated locally, then it may hit before an official warning is possible. These are the warning signs for people in coastal areas:

1. experience a strong earthquake (it was hard to stand up)
2. experience a weak earthquake lasting a minute or more
3. observe strange sea behaviour, such as the sea level suddenly rising and falling
4. hear the sea making loud and unusual noises or roaring like a jet engine

If you observe this, move inland and to higher ground promptly.

I suggested to MCDEM that they should look at having an official Twitter account. Twitter can pass on an official warning quicker than almost any other medium through retweeting. And I think many would subscribe to such a Twitter account – even if it very rarely will have anything to say. They seemed to think this was a good idea, and I got the impression it may happen at some stage. It may also have the benefit of people not over-reacting to PTWC alerts.

Hi, David Farrar (dpfdpf).

Karl Rove (KarlRove) is now following your updates on Twitter.

And yes it is that Karl Rove. Incidentally I will over in DC in June. Can’t wait.

http://twitter.com/ccosgrovemp

http://twitter.com/CraigFossMP

http://twitter.com/darrenhughesmp

http://twitter.com/DavidBennettMP

http://twitter.com/dcunliffemp

http://twitter.com/grantrobertson1

http://twitter.com/greencatherine – Catherine Delahunty

http://twitter.com/hondavidcarter

http://twitter.com/IainLG – Iain Lees Galloway

http://twitter.com/jacindaardern

http://twitter.com/johnkeypm

http://twitter.com/KeithLocke

http://twitter.com/KennedyGraham

http://twitter.com/KevinHague

http://twitter.com/MaryanStreet

http://twitter.com/metiria – Metiria Turia

http://twitter.com/MoanaMackey

http://twitter.com/nicksmithmp

http://twitter.com/pakaraka – Jeanette Fitzsimons

http://twitter.com/parekurahoromia

http://twitter.com/phil_goff

http://twitter.com/philgoffmp

http://twitter.com/shanejonesmp

http://twitter.com/suebr – Sube Bradford

http://twitter.com/SueKedgleyMP

http://twitter.com/SusieKew – Sue Kedgley

http://twitter.com/trevormallardmp

Also for those who want it, my two Twitter accounts are:

http://twitter.com/dpfdpf – my personal twitters

http://twitter.com/kiwiblogDPF – a feed from Kiwiblog

Can I also recommend Tweetdeck as an excellent way to follow Twitter (much better than via website) and Tweetberry as a great plugin for the Blackberry.

UPDATE: Also have Aaron Gilmore – http://twitter.com/aarongilmore.

Also added Chris Hipkins – http://twitter.com/chrishipkins.

And Clare Curran – http://twitter.com/clarecurranmp

And Keith Locke – http://twitter.com/KeithLockeMP

And Hone Harawira – http://twitter.com/HHarawiraMP

The Sue Kedgley twitter account is a parody. The comments seem a bit too extreme, even for Sue, such as:

is off to find schools that sell kiddy killing food made by National Party supporting multinational fast food capitalists!

wants to ban anyone selling children unhealthy food. It should be like tobacco and alcohol. Kids don’t know what’s good for them! I do!

shocked that 84% of schools are still selling hot dogs, sausage rolls, hot bites or pies – no wonder kids are become fat, we need action!

is wondering if she could be elected Mayor of a Wellington supercity

Is sad that so many children were abused over Easter by the multinational chocolate capitalists that seduced their parents.

So I am pretty sure this is a parody account. Mind you Sue does go on about easter eggs a lot.

Then I saw Liberty Scott complaining about Catherine Delahunty’s twitterings. And my first reaction was that he has fallen for a very good parody.

But then I went and looked at Catherine’s twitter account, and I am not so sure it is a parody. Examples:

Gorgeous day in Te tairawhiti unless you want to appeal something to enviro court and dont have five hundred bucks just for filing fee

My mate Grant hawke has it right. Maori have been on the advisory commitee since eighteen forty enough already!

Despite the pretty words and new clothes am hoping new puppy at white house will stop killing afghanis and funding Israel wars on Palestine

Awesome Tairawhiti sunshine a good to start our own banks instead of trusting the white boy club

If it wasnt for almonds and dark chocolate I would go crazy here. As for Michael laws gang Bill who needs It?

Those QPEC people defending public and free education are awesome and palmy north was balmy today

I think it might be genuine.

http://twitter.com/dpfdpf is for my personal tweets, and 140 character observations on politics, life, the universe and everything.

http://twitter.com/kiwiblogDPF is for Kiwiblog tweets and basically will carry headlines and links to blog posts.

I have to say that I have fallen in love with Tweetdeck. It makes tweeting much much easier than doing it through the Twitter website.

This time, Mr Cunliffe stands and gravely intones that not only does he not have an account with Twitter, but “I have never sent a tweet and I have never even, to my knowledge, received a tweet”.

I’m not sure what is funnier. That Labour MPs have parody accounts, or that John Key fell for it and didn’t realise that they were a parody.