Sunday 18 November 2018

Two louts and a comedian discuss “China’s aggression” in the South China Sea (Nov. 16, 2017)

“I don’t think we can afford to just completely IGNORE this.”
Two louts and a comedian discuss “China’s aggression” in the South China Sea

The Panel, RNZ National, Friday 16 November 2018
Jim Mora, James Nokise, Heather Roy, Caitlin Cherry
First topic for the once-over-lightly this afternoon was the buttonholing of Jacinda Ardern by Mahathir Mohamad, and his urging her to beware of Chinese influence in the Pacific. Host Jim Mora noted that “the Australians” have spoken out against China’s aggression. Mora made that statement without any discernible irony in his voice.
Near the end of this risible segment, the one participant with a conscience, comedian James Nokise, says what anyone with an I.Q. above room temperature would have been thinking. He obviously decided to ignore the rules: such plain speaking is utterly verboten on this dog of a program. His radical statement of the truth elicits a ringing silence from Mora, who is happy to laugh at the plight of political dissidents, and Heather Roy, a former ACT member of parliament…..
JIM MORA: And then there were those, aah, AWKWARD moments at the East Asia Summit in Singapore
HEATHER ROY: Mmmmmm.
JIM MORA: —when the Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad began BENDING the ear of our prime minister about Chinese attempts to dominate the South China Sea, and the reporters were ushered out of the roo-hoo-hoo-om! [guffawing, followed by extended intake of breath]… It’s interesting, I mean, if push DOES come to shove in the South China Sea—we’ve asked this before—what sould, what should New Zealand do, because the P.M. says we’re not taking SIDES here?
HEATHER ROY: [deep sigh to indicate moral seriousness] Hmmmmm.
JAMES NOKISE: What exactly CAN we do? Probably an uncomfortable question for New Zealanders. I mean are we gonna send our three ships and no planes that we have, to intimidate China?
MORA: Well, Australia trades a lot with China, and [deep intake of breath] has still told China in fairly plain language that it’s being AGGRESSIVE. I guess you could say Australia is using harder wo-o-o-ords.
JAMES NOKISE: Well if anyone knows about aggressive use of internment camps it’s probably the Australians, isn’t it.
Awkward silence….
HEATHER ROY: [nervously] Heh, heh.
MORA: [breathes deeply to indicate annoyance and perplexedness] It’s INTERESTING though—-
HEATHER ROY: Yeeaahhhh….
MORA: Sorry, no you were gonna say what?
HEATHER ROY: It IS very interesting, and New Zealand is heavily dependent on the South China Sea, you know….[…]…. I don’t think we can afford to just completely IGNORE this. Ahhhhhhmmm, tut, if you look at what happens with the MILITARY, ahh, there’s a freedom of navigation operations where the, the basis of that is maintaining your position… [bores on for a seeming eternity, actually another minute]
Later in the program, Heather Roy the former ACT M.P. claimed, contra all evidence, that “the Americans treat veterans very well.”
  • WeTheBleeple4.1
    Comedians often bring the unpalatable to the table. It’s their job in a way. Well done James.
  • Dennis Frank4.2
    You seem to forget that RNZ has always only catered for mainstreamers. Ardern could probably get her head around it, but she has to play to her crowd, right? When in doubt, be a typical politician & duck the issue.
    If she were a true leader, she’d be fronting on behalf of our foreign policy credentials & independent stance – representing the entire country on the issue, not just Labour deadheads. She could remain cautious in noting that the South China Sea is not in our region, but explain that she understands why Malaysia is trying to share their regional concern with us. She could reasonably mention that other countries in that region share Malaysia’s concern, and cite those such as Japan and the Phillipines that have issued foreign policy statements in recent years expressing their concerns.
    A true leader of Aotearoa would go further. Issuing a declaration of principle is required: China is creating a security threat in that region, perception that it is attempting a strategy of covert imperialism by means of establishing control over sea routes in contravention of international law is valid and we support those countries that are affected and threatened. Not taking sides is wimping out. She is presumably using public service advice as an excuse to do so. Poor leadership is the result.
    • Draco T Bastard4.2.1
      She could remain cautious in noting that the South China Sea is not in our region,
      It’s a global issue and not a regional one. The South China Sea is ~3.5 million square kilometres of international ocean. China’s actions are against all international law as it stands.
      If China manages to annex it or even just a large portion of it then other nations will be doing the same and the law will be one which cannot be enforced. China seems to be doing it because they don’t think that the international community will do anything about it. Unfortunately, history proves them right. After all, the international community has never held the US to account for it’s crimes against international law.
      This is a wealth grab and it’s actually grabbing potential wealth from the other nations surrounding The South China Sea.
    • Morrissey4.2.2
      You seem to forget that RNZ has always only catered for mainstreamers.
      I’m well aware of that, Dennis. Occasionally there is real, outstanding, and courageous journalism on RNZ National, and even on the usually dreadful Panel hour: Eva Radich discomfiting Tony Blair by insisting he respond to her point that the attack on Iraq was illegal, Kim Hill driving the neocon William Shawcross into a fit of volcanic anger [1], Gordon Campbell challenging the glib and uninformed Richard Griffin over his prejudiced and thoughtless comments about Hugo Chavez and eliciting a groveling backdown and on-air retraction, and (more recently) Paula Penfold calling out the head of the New Zealand Defence Forces as a “coward”. [2]
      All too often, however, as you rightly point out, RNZ National is anything but a forum of debate, affording an uncontested space for some of the ugliest and cleverest ideologues on the planet. [3]
      • Dennis Frank4.2.2.1
        Your point is well-made. I was just having a bitch at them. Having lived in alternative Aotearoa most of my life I resent their systemic discrimination against non-mainstreamers. They’ve learnt how to include other minorities in their coverage, they just can’t seem to apply the general principle!
  • Exkiwiforces4.3
    When I’m back in town, I’ll post the Maritime Trade numbers that transit the SCS and greater Pacific Region and the possible effects it would have on the NZ economy. Any NZ exports for the SEA region goes through the Singapore hub, the same is for some our MER exports/imports have to go through the Singapore hub. If China does manage close access to SCS or degrade access to the SCS then the economies of Taiwan, South Korea, Japan and some degree the Canada and the US will be effected. In turn this will effect our traditional trading/ allies and including Australia, so what happens in the SCS is our concern as it would effectively stuff up the NZ economy especially what the Neo Lib/ Con economic theory has done to NZ over the last 30 odd years.
    Unless we start to diverse our economy like our Kirk, Rowling, old Piggy and some degree Lamb burger Moore said in the 70’ and early/ mid 80’s, then we are fucked as we have ran down all aspects of the economy and the NZDF. Our Sea Lanes Of Communications (SLOC’s) are our life blood and heart and soul of the greater NZ economy.

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