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Thursday, June 07, 2012

The final Backbenches in Auckland review - the night David Shearer became PM

So the legacy of Backbenches final Auckland show will be the killing off of Nikki Kaye's future chances in Auckland Central? No wonder National want to end tvnz7.

Last nights final Auckland show was Backbenches at it's best. Nikki Kaye, David Shearer, Winston Peters and Russel Norman. Damien quipped that the name of the show was wrong for the first time and it should be called Frontbenches plus Nikki Kaye.

It's worth re-watching the show just to see the daggers Nikki glares at him for that comment. It was however the least of her woes, trying to sell shit to people who don't want shit is always a hard task, but watching Nikki trying to justify smaller class room sizes and a convention center for pokies was only for political sadists and masochists. She drowned live on TV, it was ghoulishly entertaining.

Nikki Kaye slipped off Backbenches and will end up permanently on them after last nights performance.

The audience was fascinating. The animosity towards National is startling for a Party that is supposedly loved by 47% of the country, there is a lot of anger at Key and Co that is building beyond the spin lines.

The star performer was Shearer, who for the first time since becoming leader looked and sounded like a leader. Shearer got his groove back, and whatever the hell has happened in the last couple of weeks, he has finally started stamping some authority on his performance, this was the show that turned my perceptions of him and I saw for the first time a real chance one on one with Key. If he can articulate the confidence he did last night, then he can be election ready by 2014. All Labour need now is some policy and Shearer has a chance. If they promote Cunliffe to Finance, the left have a chance.

After Shearer's performance on Backbenches last night, I dreamed in color for the first time since he took the leadership.

Russell's stilted performance is a reminder that the Greens co-leader, while building an impressive Parliamentary presence is still too closed in public performances and comes across as chilly. With all the hype of the Greens of late, there hasn't been much acknowledgement that Norman can't generate genuine populism beyond environmental 'believers'. That should reassure some in Labour who have been angsting over the rise of the Greens, they shouldn't. Russell's appeal is very much like free trade carob, it's a very acquired taste.

Winners & Losers:
FIRST:
Shearer had a 'get off the grass' confidence that's modest enough to be mainstream NZ acceptable while inspiring toothy support.
SECOND:
Winston was the roguish charm pro he always is. His grin over what was an Auckland landmark, Showgirls or White lady is priceless.
THIRD:
Russell Norman's rise to respectability leaves him like the older sensible uncle tonight. He became green wallpaper.

CLEAR LOSER:
Nikki Kaye had to defend the indefensible but her frosty head prefect routine was so the wrong strategy to use. Epic fail x 2.

If David Shearer replicates the fire he showed on Backbenches last night, then he is the PM in 2014.

But let's also note the anger, we are losing something very special by killing off Backbenches, shame on National for what amounts to cultural vandalism. Topping this would require the entire Cabinet to start burning books.

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4 Comments:

At 7/6/12 12:03 pm, Blogger Dave Kennedy said...

Shearer was definitely more relaxed, but Russel was hardly green wallpaper. He kept out of the squabbling, kept to message and came across as someone who knew the figures, understood the issues and certainly had the support of the Deputy Mayor (who remarked on the other's creative approach to history). Russel's dry humour still came through and he can say more in a sentence than Winston can articulate in a full speech. The growth of the Green's support was also evident, with National's supporters clustered timidly at the back and I didn't see much evidence of Labour either.

 
At 7/6/12 12:24 pm, Blogger Tim said...

"Just 2 things I would say about your post Bomber...."

First, I broadly agree (going forwid
Second, Anyone that keeps saying "the reality is..." is usually full of shit and speaking only of THEIR OWN perception of reality.
Third, I pity the poor bloody tutor(s) that ever had to mark a Nicky Kaye bullet point essay.
Fourth, Blah-de-blah fucking blah
Fifth. Has anyone got any straws I can clutch?

 
At 7/6/12 12:32 pm, Blogger Tim said...

Oh!....
Fifth.... Paula Bennet wants to "wrap around" Nicki with some aroha and support and Hekia thinks Nicki is a fishint n fective MP

 
At 7/6/12 11:50 pm, Blogger DebsisDead said...

If that is all it takes to make you happy you'd make a great Bliarite, bomber. I couldn't give a stuff what footy team 'wins' it is what they do in power that matters and we already know that whasshisname won't do very much different than jonkey:
15% gst will remain so will the tax breaks for the rich,
the cringeworthy knighthood system will stay,
so will the trans pacific trade partnership (goodbye sovereignty),
the stupid belief that importing aged englanders will make up for the continuous loss of young New Zealanders overseas stays intact,
the tax payer subsidised telecom monopoly, ditto fonterra monopoly etc. Al will remain in a whasshisname government.
In fact everything that makes New zealands economy crooked, favouring a few select assholes will remain if the man with the tangled forked tongue ever wins power.

You you will get one sop to yer prejudices Bomber.
The attack on the poorest old people will be racked up a coupla notches to assauge the fools who want to play ignorantly conceived inter-generational conflict battles rather than deal with the real issues of why it is NZ's economy has gone backwards at a time of record high commodity prices.

Why is it so few New Zealanders question the lie that our commodity based economy has been performing badly due to 'the global financial meltdown' when it fact NZ exports have been generating record receipts. The actual reason ordinary kiwis aren't 'feeling the love' is solely due to profits not moving through the wider economy because of exclusivist & elitist policies put in place by both Labour and the Nats for their mates.

How is it dairy farmers can afford private school fees for their kids to attend the exclusivist yet state subsidised wanganui collegiate, but when it comes time for those kids to go to uni the parents aren't earning enough to pay for their children's living expenses or so they claim - when the kids qualify for student assistance at the same rate as a struggling solo parent's child?

Labour had 10 years to deal with those issues and never even considered them.
And they'll be worse next time they get in power, washisname is a foreign sponsored transplant just as jonkey is, I don't care how well media trained he gets - once a flea always a flea.

Don't get suckered about this creep the same way as englanders & amerikans got gulled by the bliar and oblamblam.

In New Zealand we have a system that can stymy the two party duopoly neo-liberals have foisted on most of the whitefella world. Use it before you lose it.

 

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