Paddy Gower, TV3’s former political editor and now roving chief oversharer, was recently interviewed by former leader of the opposition Simon Bridges for his Generally Famous podcast. In this interview Gower spoke about his former career as ahead hunter. I kind of thought that I really needed to take out an opposition leader, you know, and David] Shearer was the one that was there.”
He was after scalps. He didn’t view politicians as people but as amorphous”. So he was chasing people who to him, as ajournalist, had no human form? This sounds as though he was playing a video game where you shoot people dead, but it doesn’t matter because they’re not real people. He admitted sometimes forgetting which stories were about working fora greater good and which were designed to take those scalps.
This is a dispiriting story. As is this: a scalp he would have taken was that of former justice minister Kiritapu Allan. As we all know, she crashed her car, her political career and quite possibly her party’s chances at the ballot box on a bleak rainslicked night in Wellington. It is asad scenario.
The right reaction came from the left: the Minister for Broadcasting and Media Willie Jackson, who looked close to tears, said the sorry saga was heartbreaking and spoke of Allan as our girl”. Greens co-leader James Shaw also said it was heartbreaking. These were the right responses. Finance Minister Grant Robertson said politics was a game of preying on the imperfections. It's part of what we do here”.
Denne historien er fra August 5-11 2023-utgaven av New Zealand Listener.
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Denne historien er fra August 5-11 2023-utgaven av New Zealand Listener.
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First-world problem
Harrowing tales of migrants attempting to enter the US highlight the political failure to fully tackle the problem.
Applying intelligence to AI
I call it the 'Terminator Effect', based on the premise that thinking machines took over the world.
Nazism rears its head
Smirky Höcke, with his penchant for waving with a suspiciously straight elbow and an open palm, won't get to be boss of either state.
Staying ahead of the game
Will the brave new world of bipartisanship that seems to be on offer with an Infrastructure Commission come to fruition?
Grasping the nettle
Broccoli is horrible. It smells, when being cooked, like cat pee.
Hangry? Eat breakfast
People who don't break their fast first thing in the morning report the least life satisfaction.
Chemical reaction
Nitrates in processed meats are well known to cause harm, but consumed from plant sources, their effect is quite different.
Me and my guitar
Australian guitarist Karin Schaupp sticks to the familiar for her Dunedin concerts.
Time is on my side
Age does not weary some of our much-loved musicians but what keeps them on the road?
The kids are not alright
Nuanced account details how China's blessed generation has been replaced by one consumed by fear and hopelessness.
