Eki
26th March 2012, 19:44
In non-US related matters, New Zealand seems to have their own Berlusconi:
Brownlee's 'unemployed, murderous Finns' comments raise hackles in Europe - National - NZ Herald News (http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10794826)
Brownlee's 'unemployed, murderous Finns' comments raise hackles in Europe
By Amelia Wade
5:30 AM Tuesday Mar 27, 2012
Gerry Brownlee has drawn fire in Finland for his comments summing Finns up as uneducated, unemployed murderers who don't respect women.
Finnish media have picked up the story and say Mr Brownlee caused embarrassment to their country, while a Facebook page has also been set up calling for him to travel to Finland to "learn some facts".
The storm started over comments Mr Brownlee made in Parliament last week in response to Labour leader David Shearer's speech calling for New Zealand to follow in Finland's footsteps.
Mr Shearer said the Finns had managed to transform their economy "through innovation and talent".
"I think we need to understand a few things about Finland," Mr Brownlee, who is Leader of the House, said in his response.
"It's unbelievable isn't it. That you'd ... make a speech saying I want New Zealand to be like Finland which has worse unemployment than us, can hardly feed the people who live there, has a terrible homicide rate, hardly educates their people and has no respect for women."
Over the weekend, his comments made headlines in the Nordic nation with one news site saying Mr Brownlee sneered the remarks.
Minister-Counsellor Juha Parikka from the Finnish Embassy in Canberra, which is accredited to New Zealand, said Finland intended to examine Mr Brownlee's comments carefully. Ms Parikka told Helsingin Sanomat that her interpretation was that it was just a "domestic political torque in New Zealand" and colourful language was more common in the New Zealand Parliament.
"It is very different from that which Finland has become accustomed to."
She said that New Zealanders and Finns understood each other very well because the two countries were of the same size with similar problems.
"My guess is that New Zealanders will be very sorry," Ms Parikka said.
The deputy head of mission at the Finnish Embassy in Canberra has written to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade seeking an explanation, saying he wants to know if there will be any reaction from the Government, Radio New Zealand reported.
Meanwhile, Mr Brownlee's comments have also upset Finns living in New Zealand and a Facebook page has been set up calling for him to go to the country to "learn some facts".
Merja Myllylahti, a Finnish lecturer at Auckland's University of Technology, created the group so people had an outlet to "politely discuss" Mr Brownlee's knowledge about Finland and share facts about the Finnish education system, gender equality and welfare of its people. Last night the page had more than 150 members.
A spokesman for Mr Brownlee said last night that the minister had "no comment".
According to the OECD Better Life Index, Finland's murder rate is nearly twice that of New Zealand. It also has worse unemployment and health provision.
But on economic indicators such as income and work-life balance, Finland is ahead of us - and for education is rated best in the world. Its GDP is also rising faster than New Zealand's.
As to add insult to the injury, the article seems to believe Juha Parikka is a female (Juha is a male name), unless they got the name wrong.
Brownlee's 'unemployed, murderous Finns' comments raise hackles in Europe - National - NZ Herald News (http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10794826)
Brownlee's 'unemployed, murderous Finns' comments raise hackles in Europe
By Amelia Wade
5:30 AM Tuesday Mar 27, 2012
Gerry Brownlee has drawn fire in Finland for his comments summing Finns up as uneducated, unemployed murderers who don't respect women.
Finnish media have picked up the story and say Mr Brownlee caused embarrassment to their country, while a Facebook page has also been set up calling for him to travel to Finland to "learn some facts".
The storm started over comments Mr Brownlee made in Parliament last week in response to Labour leader David Shearer's speech calling for New Zealand to follow in Finland's footsteps.
Mr Shearer said the Finns had managed to transform their economy "through innovation and talent".
"I think we need to understand a few things about Finland," Mr Brownlee, who is Leader of the House, said in his response.
"It's unbelievable isn't it. That you'd ... make a speech saying I want New Zealand to be like Finland which has worse unemployment than us, can hardly feed the people who live there, has a terrible homicide rate, hardly educates their people and has no respect for women."
Over the weekend, his comments made headlines in the Nordic nation with one news site saying Mr Brownlee sneered the remarks.
Minister-Counsellor Juha Parikka from the Finnish Embassy in Canberra, which is accredited to New Zealand, said Finland intended to examine Mr Brownlee's comments carefully. Ms Parikka told Helsingin Sanomat that her interpretation was that it was just a "domestic political torque in New Zealand" and colourful language was more common in the New Zealand Parliament.
"It is very different from that which Finland has become accustomed to."
She said that New Zealanders and Finns understood each other very well because the two countries were of the same size with similar problems.
"My guess is that New Zealanders will be very sorry," Ms Parikka said.
The deputy head of mission at the Finnish Embassy in Canberra has written to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade seeking an explanation, saying he wants to know if there will be any reaction from the Government, Radio New Zealand reported.
Meanwhile, Mr Brownlee's comments have also upset Finns living in New Zealand and a Facebook page has been set up calling for him to go to the country to "learn some facts".
Merja Myllylahti, a Finnish lecturer at Auckland's University of Technology, created the group so people had an outlet to "politely discuss" Mr Brownlee's knowledge about Finland and share facts about the Finnish education system, gender equality and welfare of its people. Last night the page had more than 150 members.
A spokesman for Mr Brownlee said last night that the minister had "no comment".
According to the OECD Better Life Index, Finland's murder rate is nearly twice that of New Zealand. It also has worse unemployment and health provision.
But on economic indicators such as income and work-life balance, Finland is ahead of us - and for education is rated best in the world. Its GDP is also rising faster than New Zealand's.
As to add insult to the injury, the article seems to believe Juha Parikka is a female (Juha is a male name), unless they got the name wrong.