Showing posts with label local politics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label local politics. Show all posts

Friday, August 13, 2010

Sandcastles in the Air

Christchurch local body politician Gail Sheriff insists a ratepayer-funded trip to see a sandcastle competition in the United States was worth every cent.

mmmmm.

Hasn't this individual heard of the recession? Even in the good times this just aint acceptable.

Typical that the Mayor Bob (give me another ratepayer funded latte) Parker gave this the go ahead.

Who do these self important bureaucrats think they are, important?

Ratepayers don't think so and there has been a backlash.

Now I'm for other sorts of activities on the beach, especially when it involves as little body covering as possible but spending $4000 of ratepayer money on a holiday in San Diego and using the excuse that you are investigating sandcastle building because you think it maybe good for your city is stretching the realms of credibility tighter than Pamela Anderson's red swimsuit.

Nice work if you can get it.



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Monday, June 29, 2009

Aaron Bhatnagar Nuts Off

It is hard to get good, upstanding representation from our politicians these days.


National, and especially local, and from all political colours, we seem to be dragging the bottom of the barrel when it comes to governance.

If it isn't Andrew Williams, Mayor of the North Shore, spending ratepayer money like a drunken sailor, with his own ratepayer funded wine, we have Mayor Banks across the bridge trying to outdo him by digging up perfectly good footpaths in the CBD again and spending 80 million bucks "turning sidewalks into roads", while he has well and truly broken his 2007 election promises by promising to use truckloads of ratepayer moola on the 2011 Rugby World Cup.

One of John Banks disciples, Auckland City Councillor Aaron Bhatnagar, appears to be fitting the mold (or should that be mould) when it comes to the stereotypical machinations of local politics.

Aaron is one of those councillors behind the push to build a multimillion dollar shed shaped like a shoebox on the Wynyard Wharf for the wealthy cruise ship set, instead of a world class public space or building, on one of the best harbour sites in the world- don't we just love the Sydney Opera House and its public surrounds.

Anyway Aaron has adventurous activities online, he nutted off yesterday:

This email exchange yesterday between yours truly and Aaron after he made tasteless jokes about Michael Jackson's death on his facebook page.

Only his replies are quoted because he has removed me from his Facebook friends after I told him to bugger off and my comments have been removed.

I basically started off saying he was being tasteless joking about the death of someone and joking about anyone's death is a pretty low thing to do. I wasn't abusive at all.

Here were his replies:

1."Grow up Darren, it was a very mild tongue in cheek comment based on one of his more famous songs. I've seen some pretty repulsive jokes about MJ, usually involving allegations of sex abuse by Jackson, so what on earth is your problem?"

When I suggested that his comments about someone dying were inappropriate for anyone in politics:

2."Any besides, what's my political career got to do with this? If politics somehow distorts my moral compass, what do we make of you, whose blog is called "The Political Animal - Politics with balls".

Are we to take it that your political interests generate an unhealthy fetish with genitalia?"

When I suggested what his mother might think about him joking about someone dying.

3."I get it now. You are Church of Michael Jackson. No criticising MJ by anyone.

I suggest you put a damp cloth on your forehead, have a nice cup of tea, and a take yourself off for a nice nap. You need it.

What a humourless scold."

4."What a tantrum!

I'm frankly astonished at your comments. Of all the things I could have said, it's almost unreal that my rather mild turn of phrase has set you off. If that's a standard you hold dear, then I don't want any of it."

When I told him to bugger off (this is when I DID get a little testicularly challenged) spend some more ratepayer and his daddy's money and make his jokes about dying somewhere else:

5. "LOL - now I know you are a nasty piece of work!"


Now I am used to getting abused by all sorts of people because I have strong opinions and put them out there and fair enough, I LOVE good debate, but a local politician having a laugh at a person dying (even a misunderstood individual like Jackson, there is perhaps a time for jokes but long after the person has been buried) so soon after they have died, surely shows the mentality and arrogance of an individual that really isn't suitable to represent people - what the hell is he saying behind his constituents backs!

Does he joke and carry on in a similar vein? Who knows.

For goodness sake, if you have a political career and have dopey things to say, keep them to yourself Aaron, it aint a good look.

It isn't that bright and it reveals a somewhat foul taste in the mouth.

We clearly need much better representation than this.


c Political Animal 2009