debates

i've posted at the hand mirror today, on a police press release regarding the costs of the louise nicholas investigation.

watched the tv1 leader's debate tonight. i have to say i found it appalling that john key kept talking over helen clark. we wanted to hear a contest of ideas, but mr key, in true matthew hooten form, wanted to make sure that no voice other than his would be heard. miss clark gave him the courtesy of letting him reply without interruption. but mr key had no such courtesy, and he carried on in much the way that the national party carries on in question time. they listen to questions from their own MPs in silence, but scream at the top of their lungs to drown out the answers of ministers. all it shows is that they are afraid of an equal contest of ideas, and it's petty behaviour. it spoiled the debate for me.

more annoying though, is tv1's "panel" to discuss the debate tonight. for the right, they have an open national party supporter, but they don't have a labour party supporter for the left. rather, they have gone with matt mccarten who supports the alliance. radio nz does this with their political face-off between laila harre (alliance) and matthew hooten (openly national). it's getting quite tiresome.


the debate worth listening to tonight was on maori tv, between hon nanaia mahuta and angeline greensill. it had the benefits of both candidates being able to speak, of the presenters bringing them back to the question when they tried to veer off track, and a total absence of shouting.

felt sorry for ms greensill though. as sandra lee said, tariana turia has given maori party candidates a hospital pass by announcing that the dole should be scrapped. she obviously forgot to send the memo to her candidates before opening her mouth, and i'd say that pita sharples is going to have to do some fast talking tomorrow to try to salvage their campaign.