It never rains but it pours...
And once it starts raining, the leaks start to appear.
We're often informed by commenters that the Diva lives in a state of utterly contented marital bliss, and now we've had our own confirmation.
He and his wife, Wanganui's Horizons rep Leonie Brookhammer are so perfectly suited to one another that they think and act alike - and not only when issuing press releases on Ms Brookhammer's behalf from the WDC Mayoral Spin Fairy (a task which she was neither mandated to do, nor funded for).
No sooner had the Diva upset the Spin Fairy than our Horizons rep did exactly the same thing in her official capacity. Such synchronicity! Such kismet! When have two such star-crossed lovers been so perfectly in sync?!
Indeed an impeccable (and utterly deniable) source tells LawsWatch that Cr Brookhammer has been spoken to by Horizons' lawyers as a result of her having spat the dummy at someone for "breaching an embargo". No one actually did, but since she has no concept of how embargoes work she reportedly launched into a diatribe of Diva-like proportions, insulting a staffer in the process.
And while we await what fallout may yet emerge from Fairygate, we're told the legal eagles are already circling Victoria Ave in Palmy...
Meanwhile, while the Diva informed a breathless e-coli e-column reading public just this Tuesday that:
Given Horizons' excessive rates demand for the 2006/07 financial year, I have decided that it is an opportune time to further research the idea of a unitary authority for Wanganui and, potentially, for our near neighbours.But it seems that he's gone a little bit further than just "research". Through the same source, LawsWatch has learned that he has written to Horizons formally telling them that he is investigating the start of a unitary authority and leaving the auspices of Horizons.
I have formally written the mayors and chairpersons of all the districts/cities within the Horizons' catchment area, and advised them of our intention to explore the idea. Unitary authorities (an amalgam of regional/local authorities) exist in Marlborough, Tasman, Nelson and Gisborne.
Personally, I think this an idea whose time has well and truly come – having a tier of regional government in New Zealand makes for more bureaucracy and greater inefficiency. That said, it is obvious that some amalgamation of territorial authorities is also required...
Looks like St Michael (a brand of underwear, our informant assures us) is moving to set up a glorious Kingdom of the West, over which he will reign for 1,000 years...
Cue a barrage of predictable comments about Horizons' "inefficiencies" (cribbed from a WDC-issued, Diva-authored, Horizons rep attributed press statement, no doubt). Indeed they have a few - local representatives not turning up to meetings being one of the major ones - but it will be interesting to see how the people of Manawatu, not to mention the Local Government Commission, view such a unilateral annexation.
And we could be wrong, but we don't recall a WDC resolution authorising such a move. Unless it was one of those secret resolutions they have at diVision caucus meets of course. Any thorough investigation would require costings, financial modeling, an understanding of likely engineering and environmental expenditure in the foreseeable future... in short, it'll cost money. So without a resolution to authorise it, who's paying?
Horizons have so far refused to engage with what it calls the Diva's "slagging", but can it be long before we hear Garry Murfitt appealing to Wellington for assistance to repel the invaders, and see Local Government Minister Mark Burton emerging from talks with the Diva to tell a breathless public "I have in my hand a piece of paper..."?
Comments on this post are now closed.
31 comments:
Re Mickey Mayor getting all matey with Chester and the RSA pres and other militaristic white grown-up males at the Dawn service (from the previous post):
Oh come on anon. Any lip-reader would tell you he was saying:
Ohhh-agggh mateys, that Condi Rice chick of Bushy’s is a bit of a looker though isn’t she? Like I told my other mates Holmesy and Hav-ey and Hosky (and Prime’s 14.6 viewers) that sexy black wimmin can be my secretary of state anytime. Power, mateys, that’s what she’s got. Unbridled power. And that’s what pushes my button in a sheila any day. I’m telling you guys here and now now, when Condi calls I’ll be sending the brave lads of Wanga’s community patrols off to Wellington or Gay Paris or anywhere else she says to flush out those cheese-eating lefty liberal pc comrades and surrender monkeys, not to mention burkha wearing taxi driver, and the brave lads of Laws Company’ll stick it right up ‘em.
Judging from the fuhrer's Nuremberg-style rhetoric against Horizons of late, perhaps all this means the Wangaberg Reich Chanchellery is leading up to a referendumb question:
Q: Do you volks of the glorious reich of Wangaberg agree with your glorious leader that the glory of the reich shall be served by the annexation of neighbouring provinces and states?”
And of course the obligatory spin for the punters: “And so the way to a friendly understanding has been successfully paved, an understanding which, beginning with Palmerston North am Rhine, has today, in spite of the attempts of certain mischief makers, succeeded in finally taking the poison out of the relations between the Wangaberg uber-mayor and the Horizons untermenschlichs and transforming them into a sincere, friendly cooperation .. Relying on her friendships, Vision will not leave a stone unturned to save that ideal which provides the foundation for the task which is ahead of us -- peace and world domination."
Word from Guyton Street is that some councillors were not at all amused to hear from Horizons that they had received a letter from the Mayor stating that his(!!!) council would be researching the benefits of an unitary authority.
Can these two headlines from the Chronic’s website today possibly be unrelated?
We can doe trhe job, says community board &
When grog stopped tje Waverley races?
Have you read the Chronicle today?
The decision on the Splash extension was unanimous and only Cr Westwood dissented over asset sales funding the shortfall. This would suggest that this blog has it wrong because if 12 out of 13 see the world the same way then the mayor is not out of touch but in touch. Ray Stevens, Don McGregor Wills, Barbara Bullock ... not exactly Diva-lovers but they are 100% behind him on Splash. I wonder if its LW that has it wrong.
PS Not much fuss about the HL resignation either was there?
First the mayor now his de-facto wife seem to be implicated in separate unseemly attacks on others, in their respective “professional” capacities. Surely their household is not a suitable environment in which to be raising young children.
Mr Maslin's fierce newshounds do have a dilemma on their hands. They know there's a story in the spin fairy spitting the dummy after being abused by the mayor but the spin fairy isn't there to issue a news release so the best they can do is ask Mr Ross a patsy question and print his patsy reply.
Where would we be without this shining example of investigative reporting in the best traditions of -- well, of what lawswatch so aptly calls John Maslin's cowed and withered organ.
Mickey must be patting himself on the back for helping drive Sean out of town. When he wasn't sucking up the spin fairy he did show the occasional flash of guts.
amazing that the `spin fairy`s`departure merits such a tiny paragraph in the paper today!
hope letters will follow to our conscientious editor!
good article by fred f. today.
I just love the idea of these two malcontents and their delusions of self important grandeur. Picking on employees is not only low, it's very very stupid. Remember 'Fight Club' and the urine contents of the soup? I wonder how many times Mickey and his wife have been served human fecal matter.
Fed F. is of course absolutely spot on. Were the mayor sane, we wouldn't even be discussing this. But he's not sane, is he? He's a raving bully.
Fred, in suggesting that he conduct an interview where he actually asks questions, is setting himself in opposition to the Chron.'s editorial policy:
Article 1 section a:
A newspaper is not there to ask questions.
Go Fred.
Can these two headlines from the Chronic’s website today possibly be unrelated?
We can doe trhe job, says community board &
When grog stopped tje Waverley races?
------
Does that come in Sober?
Anonymickey said
Not much fuss about the HL resignation either was there?
9:22 AM, April 29, 2006
*****
The Silence of the Chron on the spin fairy sleaze is the best reason we've had in a while to justify the ongoing work of this website.
If everyone who sees the story here tells ten people, and they tell ten, etc etc then it doesn't really matter that Wanganui has a cowardly editor and a weak news staff, and a bunch of pathetic sychophants around the council table, because thanks to LawsWatch the truth does get out.
hey LW, we should run a book.
Who do you think will be the first to have a personal grievance against them, Mickey or his Wife????
From an onservor: You people are pathetic in here. It's always whine, whine, whine with no positivity at all. I yjink i know why you don't put your names to your post and thats because you're so sad and wrapped up in being so negative. Wanganui is a great place and this council is making the place better. If you don't like it why don't you just fXXX off? Its obvious that this council (and mayor) have the backing of the press and the people here.
Vinnie R
Good morning Wanganui. Strange reading from your mayor this morning, sounded old news ... has is been busy lately?
Anon's post about Splash is right on because all the council have followed Mickey. We MUST have our own candidates in o7 because none of this current ragtag can be trusted. Joan Street - you MUST stand again. Matt Dutton has the brains and the looks. Carla Donson, Ross M-A, Jodie Dalgleish - these are the people that if they don't stand could be accused of cowardice. They have a moral responsibility surely nect year.
I wonder how many times Mickey and his wife have been served human fecal matter.
2:17 PM, April 29, 2006
What wanker posted this? Isn't this a serious blog?
We MUST have our own candidates in o7
yes, and they can join Mickey's poxy stalking horses and split the vote even further. (Do you really believe that anyone is taken in by this cak? You're the vain one, remember)
cheers!
great blog ... very, well very democratic, free speech ... things we in america are supposed to be about ... you are inspiring!
peace & harmony,
elaine
'freedom must be exercised to stay in shape!'
Surely their household is not a suitable environment in which to be raising young children.
9:42 AM, April 29, 2006
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C'mon LW, we weren't going to have any of this, remember.
Anon's post about Splash is right on
Your shit is showing Mickey. So you're in total agreement with yourself again.
Here's a good make up for next Council:
Anyone but Michael Laws. Only Michael is a vindictive sack of vanity and abuse, and anyone else could do the job competently. Mickey's narcissism means that however hard he looks he can only see himself. Ugly.
Has anyone been to any of these community meetings on the LTCCP? The sideshows that often distract LW should not distract us from the long-term plan that council has drafted.
On the earlier posts to do with the council unanimity on Splash: we can't trust ANY of them. I agree with whoever posted that we need our own candidates, our own team and our own campaign, McGregor, Stevens etc all voted against the Sarjeant, they all have accepted the referendumb as a substitute for them thinking.
This is my team for 2007;
Mayor: Jodie Dalgleish
Council: Margaret Campion
Matt Dutton
Carol Webb
Carla Donson
Ross Mitchell-Anyon
Anon @11.26
I couldn't agree more. This lot in here are just a bunch of negative nay-sayers.
When I herd our Michael's radio ratings were only 1.6%, I ran out and brought 5 transistors, tuned them all to radio Live and doubled his audience.
And reading my Sunday star times today, there was a big spread of Radio winners and our Mayor was not one of them. Can you believe that. Even worse, he's not going to be dancing with the stars, even after Norm put such a good word in for him. Oh well being a celebrity isn't everything I suppose. I still love you Michael
Did Mr Laws win anything at the Radio Awards? If not, he's still our man .. the River City Press voted him man of the year! Now that BIG!
Joan Street - you MUST stand again. Matt Dutton has the brains and the looks. Carla Donson, Ross M-A, Jodie Dalgleish - these are the people that if they don't stand could be accused of cowardice
............
Sorry, as much as I'm not in favour of the current crowd, these people don't do it for me. Dutton's looks??? We want a council not a petting zoo
River City Press' "man of the year" for 2005 is set for big things in 06. Coming off the back of his "margin of error" showing on the radio, he will give a keynote speech to 6 people from Gonville, and he also plans a triumphant return to the Bowling club. Once these pressing affairs of state are out of the way our glorious leader will settle down to judging the local "Ms. Insecurity" contest. Prizes will be awarded for "Being shouted at", "Being called useless" and "What did you expect you stupid girl".
Just to reassure our readers, he will still have time for his usual output of a continual stream of effluent.
The abuse against the mayor & his family in this blog is the reason why the mayor & his family get so much support. Stick to the issues!!
Vinnie R here again and if anything the postings have got more bitter. I repeat my earlier advice: If you don't like it in Wanganui - FXXX off! You might also Mr Dutton's paintings with you if that example in the Chronicle was any example. It was like an intermediate attempt, an intermediate school pupil. I suppose its no wonder Jodie D makes no money out of her gallery.
Hey Vinnie, was the rest of the work in the exhibition any better?
The abuse against the mayor and his wife is the reason this blog has to stay. Under the rules of right wing political engagement, any lie, any abuse, no matter how foul is acceptable, but only if it serves a higher purpose. Michael himself has decreed, for example, that "lying is acceptable".
This genius philosophical leap in political consciousness takes the democratic societies far beyond the naive and sentimental concept that anyone should ever try and better themselves or society. Stuck as we are in this post-modern time warp of moral equivalence, (or as Mickey would put it "Fuck you I'm the Mayor") we can only watch, in amazement, as the denizens of Godzone dine on rats. Hot rats.
Well, Vinnie R, you'll be delighted to know that someone has taken your advice. I lived in Wnaganui for three months and was overjoyed to move to Palmerston North (and there's a sentence you don't hear every day) mostly because of moronic reactionaries like your good self. Wanganui is not a vibrant, go-getting city; face facts, it is a provincial backwater and no amount of snake-oil peddling by your Fuhrer will change that. And speaking of Herr Laws, is he so arrogant as to believe that setting up a unitary authority would not be welcomed by the rest of the region? Ratepayers elsewhere are sick of seeing their Horizons contribution going to Wanganui.
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