24 January 2012

Angry Barr savages the Canberra Times on Twitter over the Brumbies development

| johnboy
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Overnight the Canberra Times Ewa Kretowicz was quoting a spokesperson of Andrew Barr on plans to speed up the development of the Brumbies headquarters into lucrative inner south apartments:

Acting planning minister Andrew Barr was reviewing the lease conditions at the ACT Brumbies rugby club in ”the public interest”, his spokesman said last night. If Mr Barr decides to allow the changes it would be his second use of controversial call-in powers in two months. The Brumbies club is seeking to rezone the site of its Griffith headquarters from a commercial CZ6 leisure and accommodation zone to a RZ4 medium density residential zone and remove a concessional lease clause which set the land aside for community purposes such as a bowling club.

These variations to the Territory Plan are required for the Brumbies to build 150 units on the site, a move which has been strongly opposed by local residents and is currently the subject of a Legislative Assembly planning committee inquiry.

A spokesman from Mr Barr’s office said, ”No decision has been made on the development application to deconcessionalise the lease and Minister Barr will not be making the final determination.”

But retired civil engineer and town planner Tony Powell said he was shocked by the latest move, accusing the Government of reneging on a promise to wait until a Legislative Assembly inquiry into the proposed redevelopment is completed.

Minister Barr is not impressed by the article, taking to Twitter to express his dismay:

andrew barr tweets

We did ask if there would be a more concrete statement:

twitter

Sadly no:

andrew barr tweet

UPDATE: It’s also kicking on over on facebook:

I’m trying to enjoy the last few days of my leave so won’t be doing any interviews on a made up story. You may as well ask me on the show to discuss my recording contract with the Rolling Stones. Apparently, they are going to sack Mick Jagger and put me up as lead singer. You can’t read all about it in tomorrow’s Canberra Times.

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I know the meaning of the phrase…

To use it at all is callous and shows a lack of regard for his constituents who may well know what it’s like to be a beaten wife (myself included).

In this day and age is it still acceptable to make fun of DV? I thought not, guess I was wrong.

So you can attack all you like but neanderthalis and Thumper put it quite succinctly.

neanderthalsis8:59 am 24 Jan 12

pajs said :

nyssa1976 said :

Barr was a PATHETIC Minister for Education and has now proven to be an insensitive prat!!

To make light of domestic violence is BS. The ‘man’ needs to be kicked out of politics.

Sheesh there are some comprehension problems in this thread. As Johnboy and others have pointed out, “When did you stop beating your wife?” is the classic reference example of a loaded question. It is not making light of domestic violence. It is not a ‘bizarre thing to say’. Here, it is a critique of lazy journalism and absent fact-checking.

Yes, we all understand the concept of a loaded question.

But it was bizarre in the form of a response to a simple request for a statement. Frothing at the mouth on twitter is not what a politician should be doing in response to a story, true or otherwise in the local rag. A considered response, a denial if necessary, would be appropriate. Irate ramblings on social media make him look guilty as charged and simply blustering in the hope that the noise and confusion will hide the fact.

Headlines tomorrows “Strait Times”: Minister walks into closet. Speaks in tongues.

PantsMan said :

Wow, bizarre and immature response from Barr.

He’s been coping the heat on a lot of stuff lately: GST submission, gay marriage, $80 million black hole…

Looks like the weak link.

Don’t forget the $500k donation to the NGA’s current exhibition which from most accounts has been underwhelming. Also, Bar is a Twitterer…………………………….

Wow, bizarre and immature response from Barr.

He’s been coping the heat on a lot of stuff lately: GST submission, gay marriage, $80 million black hole…

Looks like the weak link.

Holden Caulfield5:24 pm 23 Jan 12

EvanJames said :

nyssa1976 said :

Barr was a PATHETIC Minister for Education and has now proven to be an insensitive prat!!

To make light of domestic violence is BS. The ‘man’ needs to be kicked out of politics.

If you take the trouble to research the reference “when did you stop beating your wife” you will wish there was a “delete post” function on RiotAct.

I’m feeling a bit embarassed for you, and the others whose education doesn’t extend to common knowledge.

I tend to agree, but Thumper does have a point.

nyssa1976 said :

Barr was a PATHETIC Minister for Education and has now proven to be an insensitive prat!!

To make light of domestic violence is BS. The ‘man’ needs to be kicked out of politics.

If you take the trouble to research the reference “when did you stop beating your wife” you will wish there was a “delete post” function on RiotAct.

I’m feeling a bit embarassed for you, and the others whose education doesn’t extend to common knowledge.

johnboy said :

pajs said :

Sheesh there are some comprehension problems in this thread. As Johnboy and others have pointed out, “When did you stop beating your wife?” is the classic reference example of a loaded question. It is not making light of domestic violence. It is not a ‘bizarre thing to say’. Here, it is a critique of lazy journalism and absent fact-checking.

Although Lyndon Johnson took it to ever greater levels.

this ‘ancient and honourable’ story of how Lyndon Johnson first got elected to Congress in 1948 when his opponent was a wealthy and politically favoured pig farmer: ‘Lyndon was running about 10 points behind, with only nine days to go… He was sunk in despair. He was desperate… he called his equally depressed campaign manager and instructed him to call a press conference at two or two-thirty ( just after lunch on a slow news day) and accuse his high-riding opponent (the pig farmer) of having routine carnal knowledge of his barnyard sows, despite the pleas of his wife and children… His campaign manager was shocked. ‘We can’t say that, Lyndon,’ he said. ‘It’s not true.’ ‘Of course it’s not,’ Johnson barked at him, ‘but let’s make the bastard deny it.’

I think everyone is aware of the famous loaded question that Barr referred to however the point I was trying to make is that it was not an appropriate response for him to use simply because he doesn’t have a wife. OK?

Waiting For Godot4:00 pm 23 Jan 12

nyssa1976 said :

Barr was a PATHETIC Minister for Education and has now proven to be an insensitive prat!!

To make light of domestic violence is BS. The ‘man’ needs to be kicked out of politics.

Uh, oh. PC alert!

‘Apparently, they are going to sack Mick Jagger and put me up as lead singer. ‘

He’s trying to Wiggle out of this one…

pajs said :

Sheesh there are some comprehension problems in this thread. As Johnboy and others have pointed out, “When did you stop beating your wife?” is the classic reference example of a loaded question. It is not making light of domestic violence. It is not a ‘bizarre thing to say’. Here, it is a critique of lazy journalism and absent fact-checking.

Although Lyndon Johnson took it to ever greater levels.

this ‘ancient and honourable’ story of how Lyndon Johnson first got elected to Congress in 1948 when his opponent was a wealthy and politically favoured pig farmer: ‘Lyndon was running about 10 points behind, with only nine days to go… He was sunk in despair. He was desperate… he called his equally depressed campaign manager and instructed him to call a press conference at two or two-thirty ( just after lunch on a slow news day) and accuse his high-riding opponent (the pig farmer) of having routine carnal knowledge of his barnyard sows, despite the pleas of his wife and children… His campaign manager was shocked. ‘We can’t say that, Lyndon,’ he said. ‘It’s not true.’ ‘Of course it’s not,’ Johnson barked at him, ‘but let’s make the bastard deny it.’

nyssa1976 said :

Barr was a PATHETIC Minister for Education and has now proven to be an insensitive prat!!

To make light of domestic violence is BS. The ‘man’ needs to be kicked out of politics.

Sheesh there are some comprehension problems in this thread. As Johnboy and others have pointed out, “When did you stop beating your wife?” is the classic reference example of a loaded question. It is not making light of domestic violence. It is not a ‘bizarre thing to say’. Here, it is a critique of lazy journalism and absent fact-checking.

Barr was a PATHETIC Minister for Education and has now proven to be an insensitive prat!!

To make light of domestic violence is BS. The ‘man’ needs to be kicked out of politics.

Im no fan of the Rolling Stones but I really cant see them replacing Mick Jagger with this guy.

From just over a week ago.
“Brumbies lose $200,000”
http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/local/sport/rugby-union/brumbies-lose-200000/2418747.aspx
whenever I hear things like this in the ACT – my hip-pocker nerve gets a twinge.
Knowing how Labor mates have this longtime habit of taking care of one another.

Me thinks Barr protesteth too much.

Not only is Barr an extraordinarily angry and abrasive guy who fobs off letters from the public and any stakeholder views not in line with his own, but he’s overseen some of the worst planning/development decisions in recent ACT history (and let’s not even mention his handling of the school closures debacle).

Having said that, Ewa Kretowicz is a pretty lousy journo who tends to write wanky prose instead of fact, and the Canberra Times is a paper that’s loose with the truth at the best of times. Every article seems to contain at least two obvious errors of fact, all of them avoidable through basic fact checking.

So it wouldn’t surprise me if they got this story wrong, though that shouldn’t excuse Andrew Barr for the poor job he’s been generally doing. I understand he has a few fans in the inner north and developer communities, but that’s pretty much it.

Thoroughly Smashed12:45 pm 23 Jan 12

dungfungus said :

Instead he says “when did I stop beating my wife will be next” which is a really obtuse remark for a male homosexual to say. It is almost as if he is goading us.

There’s nothing obtuse about it; it is exactly what johnboy and Wikipedia said it is.

nice_enough said :

dungfungus said :

EvanJames said :

johnboy said :

neanderthalsis said :

“When did I stop beating my wife will be next…”

What a bizarre thing to say. He must have inherited Stanhope’s angry pants.

It’s the classic example of the loaded question.

Yep. It’s commonly used to demonstrate nonsensical questioning designed to troll for a reaction from a public figure, it’s a quote.

Good on Barr for coming out and speaking plainly, rather than falling behind the usual goverment-ese to respond to this. I hope we see more of it.

As far as I can see, the only question Barr was asked was “any chance of a statement?”
Nothing nonsensical in that question as far as I can see so why didn’t Barr simply say “no” in response?
Instead he says “when did I stop beating my wife will be next” which is a really obtuse remark for a male homosexual to say. It is almost as if he is goading us.

His response makes sense if you have an IQ greater that 50.

Are you his wife then?

dungfungus said :

EvanJames said :

johnboy said :

neanderthalsis said :

“When did I stop beating my wife will be next…”

What a bizarre thing to say. He must have inherited Stanhope’s angry pants.

It’s the classic example of the loaded question.

Yep. It’s commonly used to demonstrate nonsensical questioning designed to troll for a reaction from a public figure, it’s a quote.

Good on Barr for coming out and speaking plainly, rather than falling behind the usual goverment-ese to respond to this. I hope we see more of it.

As far as I can see, the only question Barr was asked was “any chance of a statement?”
Nothing nonsensical in that question as far as I can see so why didn’t Barr simply say “no” in response?
Instead he says “when did I stop beating my wife will be next” which is a really obtuse remark for a male homosexual to say. It is almost as if he is goading us.

His response makes sense if you have an IQ greater that 50.

EvanJames said :

johnboy said :

neanderthalsis said :

“When did I stop beating my wife will be next…”

What a bizarre thing to say. He must have inherited Stanhope’s angry pants.

It’s the classic example of the loaded question.

Yep. It’s commonly used to demonstrate nonsensical questioning designed to troll for a reaction from a public figure, it’s a quote.

Good on Barr for coming out and speaking plainly, rather than falling behind the usual goverment-ese to respond to this. I hope we see more of it.

As far as I can see, the only question Barr was asked was “any chance of a statement?”
Nothing nonsensical in that question as far as I can see so why didn’t Barr simply say “no” in response?
Instead he says “when did I stop beating my wife will be next” which is a really obtuse remark for a male homosexual to say. It is almost as if he is goading us.

Myles Peterson11:20 am 23 Jan 12

/popcorn

johnboy said :

neanderthalsis said :

“When did I stop beating my wife will be next…”

What a bizarre thing to say. He must have inherited Stanhope’s angry pants.

It’s the classic example of the loaded question.

Yep. It’s commonly used to demonstrate nonsensical questioning designed to troll for a reaction from a public figure, it’s a quote.

Good on Barr for coming out and speaking plainly, rather than falling behind the usual goverment-ese to respond to this. I hope we see more of it.

The Brumbies proposal is a great example of why the planning system is so rotten in the ACT. The Brumbies are using their influence, aided and abetted by the ALP, to get planning decisions in their favour.

The ALP get publicly flogged when they give funds dirctly to the Brumbies, so this is a back-door way of giving them huge windfall gains, at the loss of public land.

BicycleCanberra11:03 am 23 Jan 12

Holden Caulfield said :

Andrew Barr has a wife!!!

Shouldn’t that be Husband?

A denial on twitter. That would be in the same category of “The leader of my party has my full support.”

neanderthalsis said :

“When did I stop beating my wife will be next…”

What a bizarre thing to say. He must have inherited Stanhope’s angry pants.

It’s the classic example of the loaded question.

Holden Caulfield10:54 am 23 Jan 12

Andrew Barr has a wife!!!

neanderthalsis10:52 am 23 Jan 12

“When did I stop beating my wife will be next…”

What a bizarre thing to say. He must have inherited Stanhope’s angry pants.

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