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Armed police storm Key mansion

Written By: - Date published: 7:00 am, February 10th, 2012 - 13 comments
Categories: election 2011, john key, law and "order", police, Satire
Tags: ,

Armed Police assisted by the Eagle helicopter, the counter-terrorism unit, customs officials, and the police launch towed on its trailer have raided Prime Minister John Key’s Parnell mansion, executing warrants relating to the illegal ‘DJ Key’ election ad. Simultaneously, a joint Police-SAS taskforce has stormed RadioLive, deploying teargas and tasering all present.

key in prison

National standards fail in America

Written By: - Date published: 11:49 am, February 10th, 2012 - 2 comments

pink-floyd-another-brick-in-the-wall

New Zealand schools achieve excellent results and are very cost effective. The Nats are determined to break this great system via the introduction of national standards. They’re ignoring the advice of their own experts, and all the international evidence. But will they be able to ignore the now self-evident failure of standards based testing in America, as Obama pulls the plug on No Child Left Behind?

Dictatorshipwatch: Christchurch City Council

Written By: - Date published: 10:15 am, February 10th, 2012 - 4 comments

democracy under attack thumb

When National decided to seize control of Canterbury Regional Council to remove roadblocks for unsustainable irrigation by their mates in the dairy industry, they didn’t do it overnight. They spent months creating a crisis. The same thing’s happening in Christchurch. Brownlee’s building a ‘crisis in the council’ to justify replacing the councilors with commissioners. The only question is when.

Doctor, heal thyself

Written By: - Date published: 9:04 am, February 10th, 2012 - 15 comments

blog key

Does it strike anyone else as strange that National bloggers are full of ‘great’ advice for the Labour caucus about how they can use Red Alert more effectively, when their own party has a pretty pathetic online presence? I guess they could make the same suggestions for the National MPs blog, but given no one reads it, it would be pretty redundant.

Open mike 10/02/2012

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, February 10th, 2012 - 44 comments

openmike

Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike…

PM’s office cuts Radio Dead

Written By: - Date published: 6:16 pm, February 9th, 2012 - 43 comments

key radio live final

An internal memo in the PM’s office after they received the Electoral Commission’s advice on the Radio Live’s PM Hour broadcast says: “So the Electoral Commission has replied, and basically said they can’t make a judgment on a radio show without seeing a transcript. But they have been pretty clear about putting the responsibility on the broadcaster, which is useful.” Key’s office knew they were skating close to the wind but were happy to cut Radio Live loose. Lesson here for media.

Electoral Commission, Radio Live, Key and the BSA

Written By: - Date published: 5:40 pm, February 9th, 2012 - 11 comments

key radio live final

Radio Live and the Prime Minister pushed the boat out in the PM’s hour programme. Radio Live sought Electoral Commission’s advice two days before broadcast,  though they had been planning it for months. When Key’s office got the Commission’s warning to be careful, an internal memo said  “the Electoral Commission have been pretty clear about putting the responsibility on the broadcaster, which is useful”. The Electoral Commission has now sunk Radio Live’s argument that it was ok if it didn’t discuss politics.

 

Dotcom

Written By: - Date published: 1:51 pm, February 9th, 2012 - 75 comments

kim dotcom

There’s a few interesting threads to the Kim Dotcom saga. Should merely providing a tool that can be used for piracy be a crime? Did the alleged offences justify a 70-strong armed police raid or was this more heavy-handed showing off by the cops? And, if Dotcom really is such a bad guy, why did National let him come to live in New Zealand in the first place?

Opposition parties hammer Key on asset sales

Written By: - Date published: 12:11 pm, February 9th, 2012 - 30 comments

not for sale v3

Yesterday, the opposition parties worked together to hammer John Key on asset sales. He faced questions from four parties during one question; the breadth of opposition showed, and Key was stumbling. Some say Shearer should be taking a more leading role but, for mine, this was far more effective than Goff uselessly slogging out a primary and half a dozen sups without landing a blow. How’s that anti-asset sales coalition coming?

NRT: Nats censoring the media

Written By: - Date published: 11:02 am, February 9th, 2012 - 9 comments

censorship

I/S at NoRightTurn writes – Fresh from his attempt to censor programmes likely to embarrass the government during the election, National’s hack on the NZ on Air board, Stephen McElrea, is now actually selecting the topics of political documentaries to receive NZ on Air funding. Its amazing how the topics chosen all just happen to align with the government’s political agenda.

DJ Key broke the law

Written By: - Date published: 8:17 am, February 9th, 2012 - 43 comments

mr muddle dj

The Electoral Commission’s decision on the ‘DJ Key’ hour on RadioLive has been leaked. It shows that Key’s hour-long DJ spot was an election ad. It’s the only sensible decision. Key was clearly on the show to promote his brand to win votes. He made several political comments. RadioLive now faces a $100,000 fine for perverting our election. And Key’s reputation takes another hit.

A reply to Steven Joyce

Written By: - Date published: 8:00 am, February 9th, 2012 - 7 comments

steven joyce no we can't

Steven Joyce’s piece on Tuesday was a transparent and hypocritical attempt to frame political opponents negatively, and soften us up for more asset sales, mining, deep sea drilling and the like. Thing is, it’s the Nats with their misguided austerity cuts who are the real nay-sayers holding the country back.

Open mike 09/02/2012

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, February 9th, 2012 - 20 comments

omt

Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike…

Save our Port

Written By: - Date published: 12:15 am, February 9th, 2012 - 165 comments

MUNZ logo

It’s slipped down the news agenda but is about to come back up it: The Ports of Auckland Dispute. Tony Gibson is wasting our money on his union-busting campaign that will result in reduced profits  for ratepayers. Sign up to make him see sense.

How to wreck your brand in one easy step

Written By: - Date published: 8:29 pm, February 8th, 2012 - 81 comments

piri weepu and baby

Publicly attack an All Black and loving father for how he chooses to raise his child. This isn’t about the rights and wrongs of breast vs formula vs expressing. I can’t speak to the science of that. But I’ll tell you that La Leche, Plunket, and the Council of Midwives have done massive damage to their own cause with this PR fiasco. Just pure, arrogant stupidity.

ImperatorFish: Each Time We Say “Protect The Environment” Steven Joyce Eats A Baby

Written By: - Date published: 2:50 pm, February 8th, 2012 - 2 comments

imperator fish logo

Scott at Imperator Fish has kindly given us permission to syndicate posts from his blog – the original of this post is here

Steven Joyce writes in the Herald that the answer to our economic woes is to open up resources to entrepreneurs, and to hell with the social cost or environmental impact.

Congrats on raising the minimum wage John

Written By: - Date published: 1:59 pm, February 8th, 2012 - 66 comments

Shame you couldn’t raise it to a living one though. The working poor will appreciate the extra $1000 per year coming this April, but it still won’t cover their bills…

Steven Joyce and the ‘can’ts’

Written By: - Date published: 9:57 am, February 8th, 2012 - 42 comments

steven joyce no we can't

Steven Joyce reckons that the ‘can’ts’ are holding us back. I agree, just look at these facts:

  • National can’t create growth
  • National can’t create jobs
  • National can’t grow wages
  • National can’t get people to live here
  • National can’t get debt under control
  • National can’t reduce poverty

A sustainable future

Written By: - Date published: 8:10 am, February 8th, 2012 - 19 comments

un sustainability rio

The UN High Level Panel on Global Sustainability has delivered a report about creating a future that’s sustainable economically, socially and environmentally. Our government and political parties should be looking at it and measuring themselves against it.

Open mike 08/02/2012

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, February 8th, 2012 - 83 comments

omt

Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike…

Resignation-watch: Tariana Turia

Written By: - Date published: 8:17 pm, February 7th, 2012 - 128 comments

turia key

Tariana Turia is making hollow threats to leave the government but she might be pushed first. Winston Peters has wasted no time showing how opposition politics is done, using his first question time back to skewer Turia, exposing the massive rorting her Whanau Ora programme. Turia made a slush fund for her mates with our money. She has to go.

Time for an anti-asset sales coalition

Written By: - Date published: 1:50 pm, February 7th, 2012 - 127 comments

not for sale v3

Mana, NZF, the Greens, and even the Maori Party, are suddenly grabbing the asset sales issue from Labour, just when it actually started to be a really valuable issue to lead on. Shearer should stop playing pundit on whether the Maori Party will go and how ‘unstable’ that makes the government. Instead, realise the broad base of opposition to asset sales and build a coalition to stop them.

Caption contest

Written By: - Date published: 9:22 am, February 7th, 2012 - 61 comments

Inequality: a big issue for our time

Written By: - Date published: 6:43 am, February 7th, 2012 - 151 comments

inequality

The Herald looks like it has an excellent series this week, on Auckland: A city divided by income. It’s an issue that has been waiting to be examined in the local context in more depth.  It’s been quite a big issue in the UK for a while, with The Spirit Level making an impact before …

Open mike 07/02/2012

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, February 7th, 2012 - 52 comments

omt

Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike…

Epsom government – unstable and unequal

Written By: - Date published: 10:17 pm, February 6th, 2012 - 21 comments

John John

I’ve just watched John Key say on Sky Australia “We don’t need the Maori Party – we have the votes for stable government.” But without the Maori Party, all we’ve got is an Epsom government. It hangs by a thread on  the teacup meeting  between Parnell resident Key and Epsom candidate Banks. Key’s dogwhistle to Epsom voters is all that guarantees National’s  “mandate” for asset sales.

Not a bad idea

Written By: - Date published: 8:45 pm, February 6th, 2012 - 20 comments

david-shearer

David Shearer wants to move the New Year’s and Queen’s Birthday honours to Waitangi Day. I reckon that’s a goer. If honourees were advised ahead of time, they could attend a public ceremony at Waitangi, to add to all the other events. With thousands there, it would be a much more public celebration of their contributions to our society and bring a positive focus to the day.

Super sized problem

Written By: - Date published: 10:32 am, February 6th, 2012 - 38 comments

beach-chairs

The superannuation problem isn’t going away. The Nats will be fuming that Treasury have just dropped in their laps again.

Key gets what he wants at Waitangi

Written By: - Date published: 6:24 am, February 6th, 2012 - 171 comments

race card

While Key was away on his 4-week holiday in Hawaii, the world economy deteriorated, reports on the dire state of poverty in our country came out, and access to strategic resources became a pressing issue – both with our farmland being bought and Iran threatening to close off the globe’s oil supply. But Key was working on a plan – to stoke up racial dissent at home.

Open mike 06/02/2012

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, February 6th, 2012 - 60 comments

omt

Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike…

Key runs from Waitangi

Written By: - Date published: 3:36 pm, February 5th, 2012 - 176 comments

maori-flag

National’s honeymoon with Maori is well and truly over, as Key beats a hasty retreat from Waitangi.

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