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The Left are disappointed; the Toxic Twins – Judith Collins and Steven Joyce – failed to seize leadership of the National Party. The coldly psychopathic eyes of Collins, and the menacingly malignant grin of Joyce, will not be scaring New Zealand voters witless in 2020.
Instead, the boyish grin of Simon Bridges will be leading the National Party – until he won’t, after their inevitable defeat at the next election.
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Speaking with Radio NZ’s Checkpoint host, John Campbell, Bridges first interview as leader of the Nats began with an inanely cliched reference to “asperational” young New Zealanders;
@ 14.28:
“We’ve got a very strong economy at the moment… To build on that, and ensure that is is a place where young New Zealanders can get ahead and do well, don’t feel they need to get on a plane to go overseas, probably to Australia, that’s really important to me…”
Bridges was parroting a speech filled with almost identical rhetoric by his former boss and mentor, Dear Leader Key;
“When the going gets this tough, is it any wonder that Kiwis look longingly at our Aussie cousins? Our Aussie cousins, who get paid a third more than us for doing the same job […] Too many Kiwis are looking at those stats and choosing to join their cousins across the ditch. We have to give them better reasons to stay.”
Key made those comment in January 2008 – a little over a decade ago.
Since then, migration has risen sharply under National’s watch, pushing up demands on housing, education, healthcare, roading, and other services/infrastructure.
In essence, Bridges referenced a problem that no longer exists.
But perhaps the worst moment came a few minutes later, when he referred to National’s “legacies”. Amongst Bridge’s list of “crowning achievements” over the last nine years, Bridges listed;
@ 16.18
“But what is true, John, is that if you look at my record as a Minister whether is in Transport where I led, I think, incredibly progressive moves in public transport, in cycleways, in electric vehicles, in a range of areas, people can see a very modern face of National…”
Bridges’ “progressive moves” on electric vehicles are in his mind only.
In 2016, he actively decided not to electrify the state fleet, opting instead for traditional vehicles;
Cabinet has pulled the handbrake on its Electric Vehicles plan, pulling proposals to help agencies cover the extra cost, documents show.
But Transport Minister Simon Bridges says he canned the two proposals, in order to be “more ambitious” later.
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Bridges’ explanation was mealy-mouthed, to put it mildly;
“Given this, it is likely that government agencies will favour cheaper conventional vehicles over an EV equivalent […] But I decided, in the end, that the bulk buying proposal that is now being investigated – and I hope implemented – is much more significant than the kickstarter and the demonstration programme.” “
No wonder the Green Party’s transport spokeswoman, Julie Anne Genter, was critical of Bridges’ luke-warm response to EVs;
“So far Simon Bridges has seemed keen to appear in every possible photo-op, and be seen to do something without actually committing any resources or policy that would be effective.
It can hardly be considered ambitious. But it does seem to suggest he knows that the announcement is totally ineffective and won’t lead to an increase in the number of electric vehicles.
He’s chosen a target he thinks will happen without any Government intervention or support.”
A year later, only eight of 2,000 vehicles bought for various government bodies were EVs.
Eight.
That was the “legacy” that Simon Bridges ‘crowed’ about to John Campbell.
Not exactly a glowing start to his temporary tenure as National’s leader. In fact, Bridges’ “legacy” could be better summed up as one of the architects of repressive legislation designed to prevent protest against deep sea mining off New Zealand’s coast;
…Simon Bridges, announced a new law with heavy sanctions against protesters who “want to stop other people going about their lawful business and doing what they have a permit to do and they are legally entitled to do“
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Is it any surprise the Greens wanted nothing to do with National during coalition talks last year?
Simon Bridges, Leader of the National Party: more of the same.
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References
Radio NZ: Checkpoint with John Campbell, Tuesday 27th February 2018 (alt.link: Youtube)
NZ Herald: John Key – State of the Nation speech
Fairfax media: Cabinet handbrake proves ‘government lack of leadership’ on electric vehicles – Greens
Radio NZ: Govt advised to rev up electric car roll-out
Radio NZ: Govt plans hefty fines for offshore mining protests
Previous related blogposts
Judith Collins owes an explanation to voters
Parata, Bennett, and Collins – what have they been up to?
It’s official: Political Dissent Discouraged in NZ!
A message from Greenpeace about Simon Bridges
Letter to the Editor: Simon Bridges is a very naughty little boy!
Mining, Drilling, Arresting, Imprisoning – Simon Bridges
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= fs =
d is also for dummy and we have few in parliament
Don’t underestimate bridges yes true Frank don’t underestimate the gnats they still haven’t gotten over losing the election they are sulking.
In sports we say a win is win is win doesn’t matter about the score line all that matters is when the fat lady sings who is winning they are the winner no matter what.
Thanks for this Frank, as always you are paying close attention to the reality beneath National’s rhetoric and photo-ops. As National ramps up the building program for its Bridges to Greenwash Country, attempting to neutralize the Greens and pull the new government back to the centre-right (Labour’s betrayal on the TPP shows many in the party still see that as home ground), exposing the reality behind photo-ops will continue to be important.
The man has followed in John Keys footsteps and is a full blown liar who is not to be trusted.
… ‘ Simon Bridges, Leader of the National Party: more of the same ‘ …
And the mans a townie. Hes never had anything to do with the rural sector in his life. Pretty much the same as the rest of the National party inner core.
That being said, his own egocentricity’s will be his downfall. Its a waiting game. He will score a few minor hits , but there is far too much the echoes of a frantic unsure-of-himself young leader about him. It shows in the belligerence with which he conducts himself during interviews.
There is no need for the belligerence.
No one truly feels secure in following a leader who is known for smiling less, grimly defending oneself even more , and being part of the divisive element that effectively sacked their former leader…
That smacks of factionalism. Division. And instability.
The same picture National tried and failed to paint of the Labour led coalition.
Simon Bridges ?
Hes the interim leader. His job brief will be more taken up in constantly trying to prove his credibility to the public than in effectively landing hits on the new government. He has none of the ingratiating false charm ( read ‘lies’ ) that John Key had . Its not so much Simon Bridges that NZ should fear , – but the one who will come after him . That will be the true groomed and waiting new National party globalist.
That will be the real far right wing treasonous globalist we should be preparing to guard against.
Simon Bridges is trying hard now, to discredit the PM and government, that is how he throws questions over the House during Question Time now. He is trying to be a kind of Crusader, for ‘truth’, ‘honesty’ and ‘integrity’, but he was already caught out today as under his watch, a man or company was already looked at by the Serious Fraud Office, for contracts entered into, while he now tries to smear this present government for having entered contracts with the same party.
The man is even GREATER BS calibre than John the Key the Compulsive one, he is worse, as Key at least was a professional liar, with showing a smile and image that got him away with anything, Bridges does not have that smile and image, I know, so he will be walking the plank sooner than he thought.
And then there is Mark Mitchell and the perennial Judith ‘Crusher’ Collins. Both poised with definite offshore links… and an axe to grind…
More-so Collins than Mitchell regarding the ‘axe’ ,… but Collins would happily go Deputy as long as the long term objectives are met… And both have no particular loyalties to this country or its people as far as geopolitical trade and economics are concerned…
So the dilemma facing the oligarchs is , ‘how to have a seamless insertion of their people in such a way as it does not spook the voter base?’…
Watch and see how they do it. Expect some sort of convenient manufactured ‘fiscal crisis’ report to emerge in the news outlets and spook the public at a critical time for them to embed their chosen people…
Its all been done before… and here’s how…
New Right Fight – Who are the New Right?
http://www.newrightfight.co.nz/pageA.html
How the fuck can the economy be ‘ strong’ when I see poor bastards living in the streets and the house value ‘ industry’ is all but a wet dream riding a unicorn plaything only for lawyers, bankers and realesnake agents?
To everyone else, it’s a fucking nightmare. bridges is a wacko with 30 years of neo liberal training and a 9 year national party gravy train behind him. The little prick is fucking deadly dangerous. Do.Not.Under.Estimate.Him!
The rest of them were easy to spot for the average moron Nat’ voter. Dumb, dumber, ugly and fucking ugly. You could see them a mile away. But this bastard? A flick of his greasy hair and that natty smile and the Edsel’s sold to the little old lady. Or little old man.
… ‘ How the fuck can the economy be ‘ strong’ when I see poor bastards living in the streets and the house value ‘ industry’ is all but a wet dream riding a unicorn plaything only for lawyers, bankers and realesnake agents?
To everyone else, it’s a fucking nightmare. bridges is a wacko with 30 years of neo liberal training and a 9 year national party gravy train behind him. The little prick is fucking deadly dangerous. Do.Not.Under.Estimate.Him! ‘ …
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Pretty honest appraisal.
Make no mistake , those who pull the purse strings in National are up to something, all right ,… I view Bridges as a precursor , however . Seems to me they are in rebuild mode and trying to manage the factions ,… but I cant help thinking that the Bridges / Bennett thing is a short term measure.
Bennett was / is an embarrassment , a liability and an incompetent oaf. Even they think so.
Bridges?… I don’t think he has the skillset to unite those factions. Someone else is doing that . Both of them just don’t seem to fit the long term bill.
I think its Collins, Mitchell and Bridges ,and a formulation coming out of that trio. The Maori theme and the Youth theme are an expendable smokescreen. The National party inner core has shown for the last decade they care for neither. Its a cheap shot at broadening the votes, and that’s all.
The only thing that drives these people is wealth and power. That’s it. Finito.
They could care less about social health. In fact they view it as an enemy to their neo liberalism and their globalism . An impediment to a total free market economy and their mandatory 5% unemployment and low wages ideology.
But your’e right. They are dangerous , but their advisers are even more so.
About Simon Bridges
Could someone explain why he screams like some sort of pre-teen child – incoherently, jumbled, insultingly weird?
We all know the National felines are a tad catty – they are in shock of course – but for a male – and a lawyer (with heaps of interest in Oil magnates) it is quite ugly behaviour.
Simon is soaked and bathed and drenched in Oil. No idea about Solar I expect he knows that there is big money in Oily Pockets.
The numerous National Screamers – led by greasy girlies. Not pretty. Ugly
Tokoroa – I watched him on ‘The Nation’ this morning. The guy is incoherent as well as ‘telling porkies’.
After his ‘honeymoon’ is over, seasoned journos will tear him to pieces. (If they’re doing their jobs properly and not doing “puff pieces” on him like The ‘DomPost’ did recently on Mark “We-saved-puppies” Mitchell.)
I have a feeling this will not go well for Bridges.
yes I agree Wild Katipo I believe they are the first choice to take a crack at Jacinda and yes they are dangerous because they are so power hungry and greedy and therefore will do anything.
I also believe the others will bide there time and as soon as the polls start plummeting in they come. At the moment they are putting up a good front being nice as pie but behind the scenes they are waiting for their turn.
Judith will never be PM we have had her type and we don’t need anymore like this after all she is the main reason and possibly only reason why pull the benefit is deputy dog.
I look forward to the next poll and I see the tories staunch supporters are showing just how racist they really its all on kiwiblog.
The reason
[…] blogpost was first published on The Daily Blog on 1 March […]
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