Conversations

With an astroturf here and an astroturf there.

First up, Jen Wilson from the PSA Union.

She sent an email today apologizing for their appalling timekeeping during their Mayoral candidate event that meant nobody except Jett kept under the 5 minutes intro and some like Carmen and Jules pushed past 8 minutes. While others of us were ragged for going over 6 minutes. Aaron went just over 7 minutes but wasn’t asked to stop at any stage, of course. Except by Jule’s troll (yes he had a troll at the event). But then the troll was ragged by Jen for being so bolshie. Said troll then tried to provoke me for the next 5 or so minutes.

I did actually try to address the unfair timekeeping at the meeting, getting shouted down at one stage by the Greens in the room, a Team Dunedin troll and a someone whose most notable adornment, a rather large one, wasn’t an ode to any union but to Christ. And then later when I tried to address it to Jen in a conversation she told me that she wasn’t going to let me speak (I can’t find her twitter handle but it sounded very twittery) so I told her if that was the case then I wasn’t going to listen and walked away to find that she was still following me to try and speak to me, so I had to repeat my policy, “I’m not listening if you’re not going to allow me to speak”.

I did find one of the union guys there was more union than ID politics so not all is lost yet. And Daniel the Green is nowhere near as rude in person as he is online. Aaron of course spied the door, I knew what he was thinking but he didn’t see me, and without a word to anyone just whooshed out. This is common, he does it almost every time. He’s only interested in staying if there is someone ‘important’ in the room.

Carmen just ignored being told her time was up (twice) but then Jen had made sure that me and David didn’t go too far past our 5 minutes so I’m not sure why she was not so hard on Carmen. Favouritism I guess.

This is the forum where nobody got my joke that was in Maori, so keep a watch for the token Maori.

Dear Mayoral candidates

Just a final thank you for your attendance at the Mayoral forum on Friday evening. We really did appreciate your time and efforts.

Also apologies for the less than stellar timing of speakers- next time we will have a dedicated timing person and be a bit more strict about keeping to time. I hope that none of you were disadvantaged by this and wish you all the best.

Many thanks again 😊

I roto i te kotahitanga

My response.

Hi Jen,

that would be good!

Can you possibly do the world a favour and stop giving odes to identity politics (she/her) in your emails too? It's helping nobody in the oppressed class, just gives the middle class club only access to the jobs around.

Thanks

Richard

Jen’s response

Ah that’s a no from me Richard.  Could I suggest equally that you do the world a favour and stop being  petty and resentful about what is in fact  a minor demonstration of solidarity with a group of people who have been  singled out for intolerance and hate based on their gender.

Thanks

Jen Wilson- she/her

My response to that.

petty and resentful?

Not me Jen. Figure that's you. I'm getting rather tired of those who use the gender dysphoria of others (mostly gay and lesbian youth) to pursue their own rather shitty politics.

Hope the union members turf you (no allusions at all)

Regards

Richard

Of course OUSA rep Debbie Downs of uncertain age but definitely 20 years at least past normal student age has not replied to this email sent this morning.

Hi Debbie,

As in 2019 I was not asked by Critic to respond to any questions.

https://www.critic.co.nz/news/article/10379/almost-every-local-election-candidate-summarised

Please correct the record by allowing me to speak for myself.

Thank you

Regards

Richard

Don’t they all look like they should be working at some church somewhere?

And of course there’s been a few social media stoushes today, one over the fact that despite elections beginning last Friday most of us have yet to receive our voting papers. Commenting on that to the Mayor’s facebook page elicited hours of rage.

And on Twitter, with my account returned (somewhat there’s still one restriction I need to address) I’ve been getting rounded on by everyone who thinks that they’re progessive in their Identity Politics and their “anti-fascism” while pushing forward the Ardern Government and the pharmaceutical giants who have made a 100 billion or so from the Governments of the world’s largesse in dipping into our pockets uninvited.

Just search for @seagerformayor on twitter if you want to see that nonsense.

Sheesh.

#dcc #dunedin #dunedinelections #aaronhawkins #greenpartynz