Q+A and The Nation review

The Nation
This show can be so hit and miss at times. Last weeks episode was an appalling right wing shocker, this weeks however has a current affairs line up that is making my coffee fizz.

The asset sale melt down, Te Ururoa Flavell discussing the amazing Tribunal ruling and David Cunliffe's first big interview since getting beaten up for articulating a different economic path from the Pagani Doctrine.

Rachel Smalley is excellent on Firstline on TV3 weekdays, but on the Nation she hasn't found her stride, this episode she finds it.

It's an interesting interview with Flavell, there are two possible problems for the Maori Party now in light of the ruling, the first is that Key over rides the Tribunal and pushes ahead with the sale of assets regardless. The second problem is that Key cuts a quick deal specifically with the fresh water Iwi loaded with sweeteners while leaving the rest of Maoridom out of the water ownership debate.

The issues with the second problem is that the sweeteners will infuriate National's very racist rump base and it won't stop the Maori Council from taking it to Court anyway.

Flavell is sounding ridiculously optimistic in the way a death row prisoner is over their last appeal on the night of their execution. If the Maori Party is seen supporting Key's divide and conquer strategy between corporate Iwi and the Maori Council or are seen to do nothing if Key pushes ahead regardless, it is the end of the Maori Party.

The venerable Colin James is on, he says National will need to cut a deal with Maori for the sale to go ahead, it will be interesting to see what the backlash that provokes from National voters.

Cunliffe is on and it's a must see performance. The horror for the right wing that put Shearer in over Cunliffe is that every time Cunliffe opens his mouth he blows Shearer away. His performance in this interview and and the vision he articulates is so many times better than anything Shearer has done to date it's embarrassing.

The deep recession NZ is in has been caused by unregulated free market dogma, Cunliffe argues we can't allow ourselves to be fixed to that same failed philosophy. It's a message that shows far wider thinking than using dog whistle examples of beneficiaries painting roofs.

Cunliffe over shadows Shearer is such an uncompromising way that the only way to deal with him is to strangle off any public appearances until now and the election. Shearer can't just lift his game, he has to lift it well beyond Cunliffe's.

The Nation then moved onto the political power of the cultish Mormans and their whacky interpretation of Christianity.

It's an excellent show this week, well worth watching it again on demand for Cunliffe's interview when TV3 get around to posting it online.

q+a
Bryce Edwards is on the panel with Mike Williams and Wiri Gardiner.

I think it is hilarious that Q&A have the audacity to discuss Afghanistan when Guyon Espiner was such a puppet to the Defense Force when he was host of this show and Q+A broke an embargo with Jon Stephenson when he gave them his 'Eyes wide shut' Metro article to interview Wayne Map days before the article came out.

After being so uncritical on Afghanistan, Q+A have no credibility on this issue whatsoever and listening to Coleman's ridiculous claims that we are succeeding in Afghanistan is an insult to our collective intelligence. Coleman claims we are in Afghanistan because less than 10 NZers have died in a decade because of 'terrorism' - if that's a justification to occupy another peoples country, shouldn't the SAS be invading KFC or McDonalds because heart disease kills tens of thousands of NZers every year.

It's a terribly weak interview that challenges nothing, if you want to see actual discussion on what is going on in Afghanistan, check out Citizen A this week with Chris Trotter and Selwyn Manning.

Flavell is on rehashing what he had to say on The Nation, I love how the Tribunal decision has surprised so many mainstream media outlets who only a couple of months ago were claiming the asset sale process was all done and dusted.

Bryce was good, but pretty bland episode this week.

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