Q+A, The Nation Review

Last weeks ratings
Q+A 215, 200.
The Nation wasn't on.


The Nation
God knows this was on again, relaunched with all the fanfare of a sparrows fart, their PR department has missed out informing the blogosphere AGAIN. TVNZ keep me updated each hour on what is appearing on Q&A, yet The Nation doesn't bother keeping reviewers up to date, which is weird seeing as The Nation is astoundingly produced by a PR company?

They are in New Orleans to compare Christchurch reconstruction, which means someone had to take some leave and they decided to do it in New Orleans. Gerry is on for a tummy rub. Then there's the Phil Goff beat up. They are trying political comedy now. Seeing as the can't get a press release out to bloggers for when the show is returning, they shouldn't try over reaching with comedy. Especially Wellington based political comedy. Ew.

The Scoop is up, claims are that Helen Clark calling Labour Party front benchers is proof Goff isn't in charge. I'm not sure that conclusion works, but they seemed to pull their punches criticizing Goff after the 'comedy' routine ended with a scene of Phil being sexually assaulted by Darren Hughes.

I know.

I choked on my coffee as well. It's like The Daily Show with none of the humour. Maybe this works better midday Saturday where it first screens, but I don't think the show is worth stopping my Saturday for when there are no Earthquakes on so I'll have to watch it at 8am Sunday before Q+A.

Story about New Orleans, no over view with officials, just wandering around filming flood victims about the past.

I want to see what's happened with the vast privatization agenda used during the crises to see how that worked out. Services were privatized out in the wake of the hurricane and it this could have been a fascinating story.

Could have been.

The reporter even meets with one of the greedy developers who have benefitted from the privatization and he gets interviewed with no critical assessment at all that these people were profiting from the misery of New Orleans.

It's astounding. It's like an idealogical blindspot on behalf of the producer and reporter utterly missing the disaster capitalism element of this entire event and not asking if that will happen here in NZ with Christchurch.

Interesting point being made about the community backlash from forcing outside plans for recovery.

Duncan is giving Gerry a hurry up. Gerry claims he doesn't have the powers of King (he has the powers of God). Duncan asks about Gerry's vision, Gerry says the vision is allow local Government to work out the CBD and allow low rise safe buildings.

Duncan asks about the character of the city, Gerry says he'll do what he can.

Gerry says it will take 5 years for Christchurch to come back and that 10 000 homes will need to be destroyed.

Duncan wants to know if Court action against Gerry's decision making will be allowed to go all the way to the High Court, he earily side stepped the issue, and said that he will give a limited amount of time for appeal.

Duncan reads out a stinging letter, Gerry kicks that for touch.

Whatever you want to say about Brownlee, he is a smooth operator.

Gerry ends talking about 'the children'. He is a master.

Sean is on with Clayton Cosgrove, they rumble. Literally, they have an aftershock occur during the interview.

He brings up some valid points regarding the amount of time it is taking to allow business owners to get into their former workplaces.

Clayton does a bloody good job, you want him inside the decision making process.

He slaps down Sean over his attempt to suggest Labour are being too political.

Press Editor Andrew Holden, reporter Jane Bowen and James Young from the Auckland University Business Mafia are on the panel. Andrew notes the importance of bringing the community with you, James points out that insurance issues will determine rebuilding and Jane gives a chilling account that Christchurch is becoming a ghost town.

Duncan says that the real issue is how Christchurch will lose up to 40 000 jobs with 10 000 businesses about to fall over. The reality is that the real impact of the quake hasn't been felt yet.

Great first show for the year.

Q+A
Judith Collins is on for private prisons, Dame Judith Mayhew Jonas and Judith Tizard is on milking her moment.

Jon Johansson, Moira Coatsworth and Paul East are on the panel.

Monologue is up and running, they finally bring up the disgusting display of John Key laughing at the Shire Folk.

Private prisons debate is up and running, crucify her Guyon!

He notes crime is dropping. He wants to know what policy has seen that drop. She says it should go to Police. He points out that the crime stats are back to where we were in 2004, this is hardly a celebration. He notes the crime is dropping, total crime has dropped 25% over 15 years, and he points out why do Politicians use the crime horror to manipulate the debate.

She gives bullshit answer.

He asks why are we locking more and more people up.

She claims its because they are locking up more people.

He wants to know how far are we going to keep locking people up, she is backpeddling now, she has suddenly realized her hard right bullshit is now on trial and now she is trying to soften up her raw meat medieval law and order war dance.

Interview is drifting, she has successfully pushed away his attack.

Why isn't he hammering her on National's political manipulation of crime? There's so much gold to mine there, her crushing cars, Simon Power's bitching about flat screen TV's, underfloor heating and landscaping to rival the great gardens of Europe.

Wasted opportunity.

Now moving to Police, he has gingerly criticized the Police over not implementing all of Dame Bazely's recommendations, Judith tells us how great the Police are, unbeliveable in the week of a Cop on trial for crushing testicals and assaulting 5 people we get this cop justification crap.

It's jaw dropping in it's worship of the Police, what does Greg O'conner have on Guyon?

Guyon says that the private prison standards are higher than public sector, astounding place to drive onto this debate. The smoking ban is noted as a riot waiting to happen, he should be attacking the fact this is for the double bunking, not for their health.

He asks about her comments regarding her hopes of having looters with asperges syndrome being assaulted in prison. She has the audacity to claim that she didn't mean anything other than prisoners would be double bunked because the point of double bunking is a further punishment!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

She has no apology.

The woman is pure evil.

Jon is asked about falling crime. He notes while it falls our political rhetoric is much higher. Moira jumps in and notes we should be spending the money on early childhood rather than prisons. East says that our lower rate of crime is because we are locking them up longer.

They all bash the media over the way the media uses crime to anger the masses, they should also give politicians like Judith Collins the bash for manipulating this anger.

None of them criticize Police, they all defend the Police. It's sickening. They obviously haven't noted the Police Officer curretly on trial for assaulting 5 people. Incredible.

They avoid the fact that the smoking ban is because of double bunking to stop prisoners from suing for exposure to second hand smoke.

The next female Prime Minister of NZ from the Labour Party, Dame Judith Mayhew Jonas is on live from London. Moira will be booking her ticket by the end of this show.

She's our new Helen.

She'll be given the Mt Albert electorate.

To the panel, lack of any plan in Christchurch is now so apparent it's concerning everyone. Paul defends Gerry, they all note our diaspora of a million NZers overseas.

Now Judith Tizard on with Guyon. Is she standing?

She's not saying yes or no yet - what is she doing?

SHE IS NOT COMING BACK - THANK YOU GOD!!!!! THANK YOU JUDITH!!!! I LOVE YOU JUDITH! I LOVE YOU JUDITH!!!!!!! I LOVE YOU JUDITH!!!!!! I LOVE YOU JUDITH!!!!!!

Labour should give her love for dodging this bullet. She attacks the Herald, slams it, rips it to pieces. She defends her record, she argues her corner, she says if she came back it would be used to attack MMP.

She is far more magnanimous than anyone has given her credit for.

Young hilariously claims this is about democracy, he's bitterly disappointed she's not back. Moira counters that Louisa Wall should come in because she has a political future.

Disappointing lack of attack on Collins.

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