Nick Smith Auckland Nat meeting open to public

[k2w3]

Don't forget the Hon. Hone Harawira. I guess you can be an honourable racist.

[Bodir]

Meanwhile, a speech by ACC Minister Nick Smith to party faithful in Auckland last night was gatecrashed by about 100 angry bikers.

Mr Smith was giving a speech on the environment when the bikers turned up at the Royal Akarana Yacht Club on Tamaki Drive.

They wanted to know why riders of the 600cc-plus bikes were being hardest hit by the proposed new levies.

Dressed in fluoro vests, the bikers shouted Mr Smith down as he attempted to answer their questions.

Nice one Herald, have they been there and listened? This sounds like we entered after the meeting started and shouted at him. No mention of us being at a public meeting asking questions about ACC and its future. A sad day for this paper.

[DidJit]

Worrying - the attrition this early.

Definitely another major national scale protest needed.

Yes and yes. What is needed most of all, though, is the greater public not only realising the scale and intent of the government's changes, but actually voicing their displeasure at such changes in a way that cannot be ignored by anyone (i.e. the smiling merchant banking assassin).

At the moment, it seems we are playing into the government's hands when the media are only focusing on "bikers" and "motorcyclists" and "their concerns over ACC levy increases." Because the media haven't developed the story to get to the real issue and keep repeating the same titbits, it seems to me, that marginalizes us, writes us off, makes us seem... a minor irritant. The real message — the destruction of ACC which affects all NZers — needs to be covered and hammered home again and again.

Unfortunately, while I can identify the problem, I cannot think of a solution right now — and that is extremely frustrating and irritating for me.

[mikeey01]

anyone got Mathew Dearnaley's e-mail address?

[DEVVIL]

Worrying - the attrition this early.

Definitely another major national scale protest needed around Christmas for both maximal disruption / exposure and to combat apathy and disengagement.

Would also be nice to implant an association in people's conciousness linking a ruined holiday to the National Party's pig headed and unwarranted reforms

They will all be on holiday and wont care. It needs to be before the christmas holidays. Rolling road blocks anyone! Ride to rule.

[Bodir]

My e-mail to the Herald (Mathew's is at the bottom of the article)

Just read your article about the gatecrashing bikers at the National Party meeting. One question, were you actually there, and if so did you listen to what happened? I for instance (the second to last speaker) did not get any answers from Nick even though showing him his lies. He just evaded mine like everybody else's. I am very concerned about your style of writing. Accusing normal people of gatecrashing a public meeting that even the MC welcomed in his opening speech is a very interesting approach. All the questions asked are not even mentioned in your article. Do you seriously believe your article is truthfully representing what happend at the meeting? Please explain to me what your motives are behind this article so that I can better understand it.

Thank you for your time

[phred]

Mr Smith is VERY angry! I spoke to him after the meeting, and got him to admit that he did indeed receive the BRONZ email agreeing to discuss his safety levy thing. (He says we set too many conditions - see the 'Ulysses' thred). He was very angry indeed. He says we are "not respectful"

He admitted that ACC is now an insurance company (and tacitly agreed it was done with his knowledge). He got VERY angry when challenged whether he had lost control of his protfolio to John Judge - and made a great point of assuring us he had "complete confidence " in JJ (you know what it means when a politician assures you he has complete confidence in someone!)

He admitted that he did not care about the submission process.

He got angry and rattled a numbe rof times - uncharacteristic in such an experienced politician. He's rattled.

Fucking good job. No sympathy for him.

Thanks Ixion

[k2w3]

Ditto. Good that he's rattled. He fucking should be.

[RiderInBlack]

The real message — the destruction of ACC which affects all NZers — needs to be covered and hammered home again and again.

Unfortunately, while I can identify the problem, I cannot think of a solution right now — and that is extremely frustrating and irritating for me.

Exactly, and it worries me as well as to how we wake-up the rest of NZ to the fact that this does effect them big-time too.
Only two days ago I was discussing the ACC Levies issue with someone who works with Building Insurance, and he was surprised that he didn't know that ACC had made a Billion dollar profit last year and had 11 Billion in assets. He like most suckers out there are still buying into the Nick's Myth that ACC is broke and in Trouble.

[phred]

I'm not attacking anyone, I am allowed an opinion, I am an Aucklander so I'm not mud slinging for the sake of it and it was a warm, dry, nice Auckland night. If we become the passionate few we will get ignored, leave it to those guys won't work in this situation. It was not a big hall and we should have packed it out overflowing into the carpark. And we only needed another 20-30 bikes to completely pack the carpark (and the hall) as we deliberately took one full space each. It would have been a much stronger message to Nick Smith and the media.
I stand by it.

There's still plenty more work to do. Everyone will have an opportunity to take part.
The key thing is for the momentum to keep going probably right up to election time.

[Mrs Busa Pete]

My personal opinion is we should start targeting John Keys meetings as well. And putting presure on him to look at all the figures that are not adding up.

[mikeey01]

To the Herald


Good morning team,

So what is this balance?

A journalist, any journalist in fact, has a massive social responsibility in presenting the facts and a balanced article / story.
Certainly of late and on the increase is anything but, balance.

I have noted in most articles posted on line and in print by the Herald, their views are clear enough, but certainly pointed, at anything but this “balance”.
I'm angry because the paper cannot see what is coming, it cannot look a little further into a story and see the truth that is slowly emerging.

What is really going on? most cannot see the bikers are standing up for something, yet like a ripple under the water, there lies something much larger.
ACC levies are on the increase for everyone, not just the bikers, but anyone who partakes in any activity with an element of risk. What's worse is the Herald cannot see anything under these ripples, ignorance or incompetence?
I ponder!

Mr Smith has let slip a few wee tid bits, in the past (ignoring the Muldoon years) any journo worth his or her salt would be onto these statements like a robbers dog. “Private Insurance” “Appointing blame” are but a few.

I do not know the full story of what our government is up to, but for well over twenty years I along with many other New Zealanders have relied on a journo to un-cover the turth, present a better picture to the population of readers so it could be understood.

Moving forward, what does the future journalist at the herald look into? The real truth and digging deeper into a story? or much the same as in the past?

So what's this “Balance”. Today, I advised our paper buyer to cease buying any further copies, I have also advised my team to cancel any future purchase of this paper too. No longer will I read such ignorance from what once was a great paper. Balance!

[Reckless]

My personal opinion is we should start targeting John Keys meetings as well. And putting presure on him to look at all the figures that are not adding up.

You may have a very valid point, more media response with Key as well!!
Here's a theory?
A few of us where discussing if given all the difficult portfolios Nick Smith has been given whether or not he's a sacrificial lamb for the National govt and will die on his own sword as a parliamentarian after pushing thorough all these unpopular bills and will then move onto a plumb job as a commissioner or some other high paying post overseas! Maybe he drinks to much (by the look of him) ? Maybe he's sick of the public life? Maybe the deals already been done!

If the above speculation is anywhere near correct then John Key is a very good option as you say!!

[firefighter]

Although Nick's performance left a lot to be decided, the personal low-point of the meeting for me was the National-party woman in front of me saying under her breath (sarcastically) "Oh poor you... now shut up" when the lady was speaking about the effect of the ACC cuts to victims of sexual abuse. Some people just have no clue..

So she a Nat member? Name her.

A few of the (rich) general public around where I was sitting were openly ridiculing her and telling her to shut up. One woman sitting behind her actually said 'shut up'. Unbelievable.

I would have ridiculed them back rather threateningly I think. Especially that bitch who told her to shut up.

I hope it actually happens to her and that Nat member above so they learn what it's all about....too bad karma is'nt that selective.

This makes me wish I had taken the night off just to have a word to those arrogant yarpies.

[Ixion]

My personal opinion is we should start targeting John Keys meetings as well. And putting presure on him to look at all the figures that are not adding up.

We are. Problem is he seems to have bugger all of them.