The Key magic
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- Date published:
7:17 am, March 27th, 2015 - 98 comments
Categories: brand key, by-election, john key, Steven Joyce -
Tags: northland, northland by election
If National lose in Northland (and despite the polls I still find it hard to believe that a party machine that well resourced and that desperate can be beaten) then the main casualty will be the myth of the “Key magic”. John Armstrong still believes in it:
Key magic will struggle to stop Peters juggernaut
…
The Prime Minister returns from Japan today and will head north to campaign for Osborne. But it is difficult to envisage how the John Key magic can turn this byelection around with just two days to go.
But it seems that the people of Northland do not:
John Key heckled in Northland
Prime Minister John Key has headed straight to Dargaville today after returning from Japan, only to be heckled by Northland by-election voters.
Radio New Zealand reporter Benedict Collins, in Northland, said Mr Key was heckled during a 20 minute walk along the street meeting locals, and was shown placards saying ‘Vote Winston’.
One woman said, “Don’t bother talking to me. I’ve already voted, I voted for Winston Peters … because we’ve been neglected here for the last 37 years.” …
The well informed Selwyn Manning has an interesting discussion of the fractures and factions appearing within National as the buy election exposes their weaknesses.
McCullum’s power-base is Northland. And Collins loyalists bided their time and blocked him from getting his way during the National Party Northland candidacy selections. The most Machiavellian of them suggest a loss in Northland will diminish Steven Joyce’s power, create instability for the leader John Key, and demonstrate that they cannot control the party outside of Wellington.
In simple terms, National is demonstrating third term disconnect, division among its factions, and pomposity and arrogance – something the newly re-elected Prime Minister John Key warned his party about in his post-election speeches.
…
The National Party insiders say there are “many questions” circulating among the Nats, including:
(a) John Key’s judgment and credibility after the 2014 win particularly his promotion of former MP Mike Sabin to chair the Law and Order Select Committee.
(b) Joyce’s “diabolical mismanagement of the Northland by-election campaign”.Regarding Joyce: “There are really brutal comments flowing from some quarters.”
Plenty more in the full piece at Evening Report. If National do lose it’s going to be an interesting time for Nat-watchers.
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- Referendums for Māori wards a racist step backwardsThe Government's imposed referendum on Māori wards is a racist step backwards for Māori representation, and disregards Te Tiriti o Waitangi. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Job losses at Health not worth it for tax cutsNew Zealand will feel the harm of the National Government’s reckless cuts to jobs at the health ministry for generations, says Ayesha Verrall. ...2 weeks ago
- Press release: No Māori initiatives in Government’s nothing planMāori are yet to see anything from this Government except cuts, reversals and taking our people backwards, Māori Development spokesperson Willie Jackson said. ...2 weeks ago
- Thirty six point PR spinThe Government’s ‘36 point’ plan for the next three months is as pointless as it is hollow. ...3 weeks ago
- Thirty six point PR spinThe Government’s ‘36 point’ plan for the next three months is as pointless as it is hollow. ...3 weeks ago
- Thirty six point PR spinThe Government’s ‘36 point’ plan for the next three months is as pointless as it is hollow. ...3 weeks ago
- Release: Social housing off Government’s to-do listThe Coalition Government’s refusal to commit to ongoing funding for social housing is seeing the sector pull back on developments and families watch their dreams of securing a home fade away, says Labour Housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty. ...3 weeks ago
- Release: Less money in most people’s pockets this AprilChanges to minimum wage and benefit indexation means many New Zealanders will get less this year, as the Government gives a big tax break to landlords instead. ...3 weeks ago
- $41m to support clean energy in South East Asia
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...12 hours ago - Minister releases Fast-track stakeholder listThe Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...14 hours ago
- Judicial appointments announcedAttorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...15 hours ago
- Education Minister heads to major teaching summit in SingaporeEducation Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...16 hours ago
- Value of stopbank project proven during cycloneA stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...16 hours ago
- Anzac commemorations, Türkiye relationship focus of visitForeign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul. “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...16 hours ago
- Minister to Europe for OECD meeting, Anzac DayScience, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...18 hours ago
- Comprehensive Partnership the goal for NZ and the PhilippinesPrime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...1 day ago
- Government commits $20m to Westport flood protectionThe Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...1 day ago
- Taupō takes pole positionThe Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...2 days ago
- Cost of living support for low-income homeownersLocal Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...2 days ago
- Government backing mussel spat projectThe Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...2 days ago
- Government focused on getting people into workBenefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...2 days ago
- Clean energy key driver to reducing emissionsThe Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...2 days ago
- Earthquake-prone buildings review brought forwardThe Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...2 days ago
- Thailand and NZ to agree to Strategic PartnershipPrime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...2 days ago
- Government consults on extending coastal permits for portsRMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...3 days ago
- Inflation coming down, but more work to doToday’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...3 days ago
- School attendance restored as a priority in health adviceRefreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...3 days ago
- Unnecessary bureaucracy cut in oceans sectorOceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...3 days ago
- Patterson promoting NZ’s wool sector at International CongressAssociate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector. "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...4 days ago
- Removing red tape to help early learners thriveThe Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...4 days ago
- RMA changes to cut coal mining consent red tapeChanges to the Resource Management Act will align consenting for coal mining to other forms of mining to reduce barriers that are holding back economic development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The inconsistent treatment of coal mining compared with other extractive activities is burdensome red tape that fails to acknowledge ...4 days ago
- McClay reaffirms strong NZ-China trade relationshipTrade, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay has concluded productive discussions with ministerial counterparts in Beijing today, in support of the New Zealand-China trade and economic relationship. “My meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, with our Free Trade Agreement at its ...4 days ago
- Prime Minister Luxon acknowledges legacy of Singapore Prime Minister LeePrime Minister Christopher Luxon today paid tribute to Singapore’s outgoing Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. Meeting in Singapore today immediately before Prime Minister Lee announced he was stepping down, Prime Minister Luxon warmly acknowledged his counterpart’s almost twenty years as leader, and the enduring legacy he has left for Singapore and South East ...4 days ago
- PMs Luxon and Lee deepen Singapore-NZ tiesPrime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. While in Singapore as part of his visit to South East Asia this week, Prime Minister Luxon also met with Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and will meet with Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon ...4 days ago
- Antarctica New Zealand Board appointmentsForeign Minister Winston Peters has made further appointments to the Board of Antarctica New Zealand as part of a continued effort to ensure the Scott Base Redevelopment project is delivered in a cost-effective and efficient manner. The Minister has appointed Neville Harris as a new member of the Board. Mr ...4 days ago
- Finance Minister travels to Washington DCFinance Minister Nicola Willis will travel to the United States on Tuesday to attend a meeting of the Five Finance Ministers group, with counterparts from Australia, the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. “I am looking forward to meeting with our Five Finance partners on how we can work ...5 days ago
- Pet bonds a win/win for renters and landlordsThe coalition Government has today announced purrfect and pawsitive changes to the Residential Tenancies Act to give tenants with pets greater choice when looking for a rental property, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Pets are important members of many Kiwi families. It’s estimated that around 64 per cent of New ...5 days ago
- Long Tunnel for SH1 Wellington being consideredState Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the Government has also asked NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) to consider and provide advice on a Long Tunnel option, Transport Minister Simeon Brown ...5 days ago
- New Zealand condemns Iranian strikesPrime Minister Christopher Luxon and Foreign Minister Winston Peters have condemned Iran’s shocking and illegal strikes against Israel. “These attacks are a major challenge to peace and stability in a region already under enormous pressure," Mr Luxon says. "We are deeply concerned that miscalculation on any side could ...5 days ago
- Huge interest in Government’s infrastructure plansHundreds of people in little over a week have turned out in Northland to hear Regional Development Minister Shane Jones speak about plans for boosting the regional economy through infrastructure. About 200 people from the infrastructure and associated sectors attended an event headlined by Mr Jones in Whangarei today. Last ...1 week ago
- Health Minister thanks outgoing Health New Zealand ChairHealth Minister Dr Shane Reti has today thanked outgoing Health New Zealand – Te Whatu Ora Chair Dame Karen Poutasi for her service on the Board. “Dame Karen tendered her resignation as Chair and as a member of the Board today,” says Dr Reti. “I have asked her to ...1 week ago
- Roads of National Significance planning underwayThe NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has signalled their proposed delivery approach for the Government’s 15 Roads of National Significance (RoNS), with the release of the State Highway Investment Proposal (SHIP) today, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Boosting economic growth and productivity is a key part of the Government’s plan to ...1 week ago
- Navigating an unstable global environmentNew Zealand is renewing its connections with a world facing urgent challenges by pursuing an active, energetic foreign policy, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “Our country faces the most unstable global environment in decades,” Mr Peters says at the conclusion of two weeks of engagements in Egypt, Europe and the United States. “We cannot afford to sit back in splendid ...1 week ago
- NZ welcomes Australian Governor-GeneralPrime Minister Christopher Luxon has announced the Australian Governor-General, His Excellency General The Honourable David Hurley and his wife Her Excellency Mrs Linda Hurley, will make a State visit to New Zealand from Tuesday 16 April to Thursday 18 April. The visit reciprocates the State visit of former Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy ...1 week ago
- Pseudoephedrine back on shelves for WinterAssociate Health Minister David Seymour has announced that Medsafe has approved 11 cold and flu medicines containing pseudoephedrine. Pharmaceutical suppliers have indicated they may be able to supply the first products in June. “This is much earlier than the original expectation of medicines being available by 2025. The Government recognised ...1 week ago
- NZ and the US: an ever closer partnershipNew Zealand and the United States have recommitted to their strategic partnership in Washington DC today, pledging to work ever more closely together in support of shared values and interests, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The strategic environment that New Zealand and the United States face is considerably more ...1 week ago
- Joint US and NZ declarationApril 11, 2024 Joint Declaration by United States Secretary of State the Honorable Antony J. Blinken and New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs the Right Honourable Winston Peters We met today in Washington, D.C. to recommit to the historic partnership between our two countries and the principles that underpin it—rule ...1 week ago
- NZ and US to undertake further practical Pacific cooperationForeign Minister Winston Peters has announced further New Zealand cooperation with the United States in the Pacific Islands region through $16.4 million in funding for initiatives in digital connectivity and oceans and fisheries research. “New Zealand can achieve more in the Pacific if we work together more urgently and ...1 week ago
- Rousing farewell for Kiwi doctors flying out to Gaza aid flotilla
Kia Ora Gaza A passionate haka reverberated through Auckland International Airport as a medical team of three New Zealand doctors received an emotional farewell from a big crowd of supporters before flying to Turkey to join the international Freedom Flotilla to Gaza. The doctors, who left Auckland yesterday, hope to ...6 hours ago - Communities Against The Fast-track Heartened By ‘Overwhelming’ Public Response; Disgusted By ‘...
With submissions closing today, Macassey-Pickard says groups around the country have been supporting a huge range of people to make their submissions. ...8 hours ago - Renters Rights To Drastically Reduce Under Landlord GovernmentThe Government’s announced changes around tenancy rules set renters’ rights back by nearly a decade. ...8 hours ago
- NZPI Submission on Fast Track Approvals BillOur response to the new legislation is informed by targeted conversations with practitioners working in the system and through an implementation lens. ...8 hours ago
- Fast Track Invite List Includes Most Destructive Industries In New ZealandThe new ‘Fast-track Approvals Bill’ would give just three Ministers the power to approve or deny development projects. They would avoid the usual checks and balances that are in place to protect rivers, land, the ocean, and communities. ...8 hours ago
- Eugene Doyle: Helen Clark on why AUKUS isn’t in New Zealand’s national interestCOMMENTARY: By Eugene Doyle Helen Clark, how I miss you. The former New Zealand Prime Minister — the safest pair of hands this country has had in living memory — gave a masterclass on the importance of maintaining an independent foreign policy when she spoke at an AUKUS symposium held ...8 hours ago
- Government releases list of organisations shoulder-tapped for fast-track consents
The government's released the list of organisations provided with information on how to apply - just hours before public submissions on the bill close. ...9 hours ago - The Week in Politics: Job cuts surge and Waitangi Tribunal troubleAnalysis - It's been a grim week for public servants, while trouble is also brewing between the government and Waitangi Tribunal. ...10 hours ago
- It never rains but it pours: intense rain and flash floods have increased inland in eastern Australi...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Milton Speer, Visiting Fellow, School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, University of Technology Sydney Before climate change really got going, eastern Australia’s flash floods tended to concentrate on our coastal regions, east of the Great Dividing Range. But that’s changing. Now ...10 hours ago
- Watch: Christopher Luxon speaks to media in ManilaThe PM has defended how he's talked up NZ trade on his trip to Southeast Asia, after criticism from his own delegation. ...11 hours ago
- ‘It could be the death of the museum’: why research cuts at a South Australian institution have ...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elizabeth Finkel, Vice-Chancellor’s Fellow, La Trobe University Sia Duff / South Australian Museum In February, the South Australian Museum “re-imagined” itself. In the face of rising costs and inadequate government funds, CEO David Gaimster, who took the reins last June, declared ...11 hours ago
- Government signs off $41m clean energy deal with Asian Development BankThe government has committed $41 million to clean energy transition at the Asian Development Bank's Energy Transition Mechanism. ...11 hours ago
- Are 2 mid-career AFL retirements a sign Australian athletes are taking brain health more seriously?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alan Pearce, Professor, School of Allied Heath, Human Services & Sport, La Trobe University, La Trobe University This week, Collingwood AFL player Nathan Murphy announced his retirement, brought on by his concussion history and ongoing issues. The 24-year-old’s seemingly sudden retirement, ...13 hours ago
- Luxon: Waitangi Tribunal comments from coalition parties 'ill considered'Comments from ACT and NZ First ministers about the Tribunal were "ill considered" and "that message will be underscored" to them, the PM says. ...13 hours ago
- Mental Health Foundation Facing Staff Cuts From Govt Funding SqueezeThe Mental Health Foundation provides support and resources for those facing the loss of their job, so it’s wrong in the very week the Government adds another 1000 jobs to its tally of cuts, that this is happening. ...14 hours ago
- I wholeheartedly recommend The President: a brilliant revival of a play of decay, terror and revulsi...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexander Howard, Senior Lecturer, Discipline of English and Writing, University of Sydney Daniel Boud/Sydney Theatre Company Decay, terror, revulsion. These are three of the central themes of Thomas Bernhard’s rarely performed play The President. The Austrian is one of the greatest ...14 hours ago
- How the coolest little capital is shrinkingIt's not the first time a government has targeted public servants for job cuts, but this time Wellington is really feeling it. ...14 hours ago
- Ministers accused of Cabinet Manual breach with threats to Waitangi Tribunal
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says threats by ministers Shane Jones and David Seymour to reform or close down the Waitangi Tribunal were “ill-considered”, as legal experts say the ministers may have breached Cabinet Manual conventions. “I think those comments are ill-considered and we expect all ministers to actually exercise good ...14 hours ago - Many prisoners go years without touching a smartphone. It means they struggle to navigate life on th...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ye In (Jane) Hwang, Postdoctoral Research Associate at School of Population Health, UNSW Sydney Shutterstock You’d be hard pressed to find any aspect of daily life that doesn’t require some form of digital literacy. We need only to look back ten ...14 hours ago
- Good news: midlife health is about more than a waist measurement. Here’s whySource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rob Newton, Professor of Exercise Medicine, Edith Cowan University Pexels/RDNE stock project You’re not in your 20s or 30s anymore and you know regular health checks are important. So you go to your GP. During the appointment they measure your waist. ...14 hours ago
- The Friday Poem: ‘Mitochondrial Problem’ by Evangeline Riddiford Graham
A new poem by Evangeline Riddiford Graham. Mitochondrial Problem I. It was long drive to Kansas for the man and his dog but you have to understand he said She doesn’t fly. Which calls to mind not carsick shitting barking or whining but a dog who chooses not to as ...14 hours ago - The Unity Books bestseller chart for the week ending April 18The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington. AUCKLAND 1 Hemingway’s Goblet by Dermot Ross (Mary Egan Publishing, $38) Hot off the press, this debut ...14 hours ago
- Department of Conservation closing Dunedin centre, but no jobs lostVisitor habits are changing and DOC needs to adapt in a financially sustainable way, its operations director says. ...14 hours ago
- Unions Collaborate With Thousands Of Job CutsWith New Zealand officially in recession, a swathe of mass sackings is currently sending shockwaves through the entire working class. ...14 hours ago
- Watch live: Christopher Luxon speaks to media in ManilaPrime Minister Christopher Luxon is speaking to reporters in Manila after pledging greater defence cooperation with the Philippines. Watch live. ...15 hours ago
- Government sent please explain letter to Wellington City Council over transport disagreementThe contents were revealed in correspondence from Simeon Brown and Chris Bishop to Wellington's Mayor. ...15 hours ago
- Some families push back against journalists who mine social media for photos – they have every rig...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Laura Wajnryb McDonald, PhD candidate in Criminology, University of Sydney Less than 24 hours after Ashlee Good was murdered in Bondi Junction, her family released a statement requesting the media take down photographs they had reproduced of Ashlee and her family without ...15 hours ago
- Mental Health Foundation staff cuts loom, with funding falling behind rising costsChief executive Shaun Robinson said it has not had any government funding cut, but government-funded contracts have not kept pace with rising costs. ...15 hours ago
- The ‘devil comet’ 12P/Pons-Brooks has finally become visible from Australia. What can we expect?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jonti Horner, Professor (Astrophysics), University of Southern Queensland Pons–Brooks visible from Utah, March 9 2024. James Peirce/Flickr, CC BY-NC-ND If you’re a fan of all things space, you’ve doubtless heard about the “devil comet”, which has been captivating keen-eyed observers in the ...16 hours ago
- Rugby stadiums are sold as an economic asset – but NZ needs to ask if they’re really worth itSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robert Hamlin, Senior Lecturer in Marketing , University of Otago A multi-billion dollar stadium precinct has been proposed for Auckland, one of three proposals in front of Auckland Council for a new stadium in the city. The council is also considering revamping ...16 hours ago
- Auckland dog attacks: Callouts for attacks on other animals going upRoaming dogs are responsible for more than a thousand attacks on animals each year, and the number is growing. ...16 hours ago
- What access to puberty blockers means for trans young people and their whānauThe Ministry of Health has delayed the release of its evidence brief on the safety, reversibility and mental health and wellbeing outcomes for puberty blockers. While we wait, Julia de Bres speaks to those with firsthand experience. Best practice gender-affirming healthcare is based on trans people’s self-determination and agency. The ...16 hours ago
- NZ and Philippines pledge defence cooperation amid rising tensionsThe commitment came after a sit-down meeting between Christopher Luxon and President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Romualdez Marcos Jr overnight. ...17 hours ago
- How superblocks can help reimagine city lifeBarcelona’s city streets have gone from traffic-clogged to pedestrian-friendly. How? Superblocks. Ellen Rykers explains. This is an excerpt from our weekly environmental newsletter Future Proof. Sign up here. Last week I read a great interview with renowned urbanist Janette Sadik-Khan by The Spinoff’s Wellington editor Joel MacManus: “You can reimagine streets, ...18 hours ago
- Fire engineering expertise may take a big hit with job cuts at MBIEThe public sector cuts are poised to take out a big chunk of expertise at the country's building regulator. ...18 hours ago
- “Fast-track Law To Kill Kiwi”: Students Say Fight Against Anti-democracy Legislation Is Only Jus...Student groups ‘Climate Action VUW’, Schools Strike 4 Climate and VUWSA will be on the street in Wellington today, the last day for submissions on the Fast-track Approvals Bill, with a message that the fight against the Government’s ‘War on ...19 hours ago
- ‘We have thousands of Modis’: the secret behind the BJP’s enduring success in IndiaSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sofia Ammassari, Research Fellow, Griffith University Since 2014, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s popularity has grown exponentially – and so has the formidable organisational machine of his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). These two factors will be key to delivering the BJP a ...19 hours ago
- Online schooling is not just for lockdowns. Could it work for your child?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brendon Hyndman, Associate Professor of Education (Adjunct) & Senior Manager (BCE), Charles Sturt University During COVID almost all Australian students and their families experienced online learning. But while schools have long since gone back to in-person teaching, online learning has not gone ...19 hours ago
- Hear me out: You can shove your reusable period productsYes, they’re better for the environment. No, that’s not a good enough reason for me to use them. Once every 26 days or so, my period arrives, and if struck by an act of God, I am caught red-crotched without products. How, after 17 years of this, do I still ...19 hours ago
- Rip It Up And Start Over – Fast-Track Approvals Bill Needs To Be Scrapped“It will cause significant harm to our environment and communities. It is completely at odds with New Zealanders’ relationship with nature and our need for a low-carbon, sustainable economic future." ...19 hours ago
- Maori Authority Warns Government On Fast Track LegislationThe Chair of the National Maori Authority, Matthew Tukaki, has warned a Parliamentary Select Committee that fast-tracking legislation is a perilous practice that undermines the core tenets of democracy, transparency, and accountability. ...20 hours ago
- Why the government’s haste in changing the health system could come back to haunt itSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tim Tenbensel, Associate Professor, Health Policy, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau Getty Images Since coming into power, the coalition government has adopted a simple but shrewd see-how-fast-we-can-move political strategy. However, in the health sector this need for speed entails ...20 hours ago
- Many suicides are related to gambling. How can we tackle this problem?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anastasia Hronis, Clinical Psychologist, University of Technology Sydney Darya Sannikova/Pexels Whether you’re watching TV, attending a footy game, or eating a meal at your local pub, gambling is hard to escape. Although the rise of gambling is not unique to Australia, ...20 hours ago
- Things that go buzz in the night – our global study found there really are more insects out after ...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Wong, Forrest Fellow, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia Have you ever wondered if there are more insects out at night than during the day? We set out to answer this question by combing through the scientific ...20 hours ago
- Why don’t Australians talk about their salaries? Pay transparency and fairness go hand-in-handSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Carol T Kulik, Research Professor, University of South Australia IR Stone/Shutterstock In Australia, it’s not the done thing to know – let alone ask – what our colleagues are paid. Yet, it’s easy to see how pay transparency can make pay ...20 hours ago
- ‘Character’ And Its Impact On Immigration StatusThe Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) is sounding a warning to migrants, that running foul of the law may see them leaving the country prematurely. ...20 hours ago
- 20,000 more on jobseeker benefits than this time last yearThe government’s plan to get 50,000 people off jobseeker support by 2030 has had a rocky start, writes Catherine McGregor in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. Beneficiary numbers are up – and so are ...21 hours ago
- All of the Raglan Roast cafes in Wellington, ranked from worst to bestRaglan Roast is a staple of Wellington coffee culture. But with five branches across the capital, which one is the best? I am a die-hard Raglan Roast fan. It’s consistently the most affordable cafe in Wellington, and one of the only places you can get a coffee after 3pm. So, ...23 hours ago
- Auckland uni students threaten rent strike over rising accommodation feesResidents of University of Auckland halls are being urged to withhold their accommodation fees from May 1, in a bid to force the university to take student concerns over rent hikes seriously. The University of Auckland is facing a strike from students over the cost of on-campus accommodation. The Students ...23 hours ago
- Warning of death from a million cuts as Oceans Secretariat dissolvedShane Jones says people voted for change, but opponents say small cuts such as ending a special oceans secretariat are starting to add up The post Warning of death from a million cuts as Oceans Secretariat dissolved appeared first on Newsroom. ...23 hours ago
- Defence deal to counter Beijing’s aggression in South China SeaNew Zealand and the Philippines have signed a new maritime security agreement and stated their concerns over activity in the South China Sea, as Chinese vessels continue to flout international law. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Philippines President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos committed to signing a Mutual Logistics Supporting Arrangement by ...23 hours ago
- Wellington’s ebb and flow of public servantsThe thousands of government “back-office” job cuts are causing widespread pain in the capital city. In today’s episode of The Detail, we speak to three journalists and a think tank researcher, looking at the larger picture around the cuts and what effect it will have on Wellington, a city that’s ...23 hours ago
- New Zealand transport planning has gone off the railsOpinion: The famed American architect and urban designer Daniel Burnham once said, “Make no little plans. They have no magic to stir men’s blood!” Burnham wouldn’t have been referring to the transport plans in Aotearoa New Zealand over the past five years; projects so big they hadn’t the credibility to ...23 hours ago
- Daily crossword, Friday 19 AprilThe post Daily crossword, Friday 19 April appeared first on Newsroom. ...23 hours ago
- Brakes on transport and logistics sector as demand for freight slowsThe transport sector is currently in the slow lane The post Brakes on transport and logistics sector as demand for freight slows appeared first on Newsroom. ...23 hours ago
- Newsroom daily quiz, Friday 19 AprilLoading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A[quiz],DIV[quiz],A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp'); Got a good quiz question? Send Newsroom your questions. The post Newsroom daily quiz, Friday 19 April appeared first on Newsroom. ...23 hours ago
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The magic of John key is a media construct comprised of Dirty Politics and an MSM who don’t ask the tough questions and accept any BS he dishes up with a ‘gosh thanks herr leader we are not worthy of you’.
The magic is all dark magic at best honed in the offshore lands of money trading and assets stripping till he decided to buy his way into a safe seat.
It’s not so much that the MSM don’t ask the tough questions but that they actively prop up National.
by not asking any tough questions and fawning all over them as if they’re demigods.
tough questions that demand answers on any number of issues ever since JPK showed up would’ve shown him to be a carpetbagger of the highest calibre.
tranzrail shares, SFC, I’d love to see wages drop, I will not raise GST, no frontline cuts, I never spoke to Ian Fletcher, I have no knowledge of (insert issue here) etc etc and then there’s Blip’s awesome bibliography of BS.
Absolutely 100%, think: Trevatt, Armstrong, Gower, TV3 News, NZH, Watkins…
“(and despite the polls I still find it hard to believe that a party machine that well resourced and that desperate can be beaten)”
This is an aside, but the implications there are that might is what determines election outcomes rather than the shift in voting patterns. Isn’t the point of the Northland election that National might have misunderstood what people want? No amount of door knocking or leaflet dropping can overcome that surely?
I agree. In fact I’ll go further and say that if people in northland know what the nats have been covering up, and have seen the bullying and the bribery, blue shirts on the doorstep may well turn more people against them.
I’m sure that is the reason. There can be few people left in Northland who don’t know (or do not have have a damn good idea) what this corrupt administration have been trying to hide. Only the true blues could possibly hold their noses and vote Obsourne. It is hard to believe that Key did not know, in fact it is so hard to believe that it is truly unbelievable; and that goes for, you know who’s bestest Osbourne as well.
Nationalites shat in their own nest – and the stench has driven people with any sense of justice and moral decency away; and serve them right.
Really enjoyable spoof post. One lone heckler equals the end of the “Key magic” Yeah Right.
Stephen Joyce has run an amazing campaign in difficult circumstances. Diabolical is ludicrous. We will find out tomorrow how well he has done.
You forgot to add the humour tag! Some might think the author is serious.
Congratulations, fisiani. You actually posted a comment without saying ‘Honest John’. I live in hope that you might actually post something that shows some critical thinking regarding the flaws in NACTS activities current and past but I am not holding my breath.
“but I am not holding my breath”.
Come on, do the country a favour and try it.
Perhaps you’ll turn blue in the face, see the light and join the National Party?
So, what you’re saying is that only zombies join/vote National?
Correct. I waited for you to acknowledge he was Honest John
Same answer as I am giving Alwyn – hell will freeze over first. I don’t think he known how to be honest anymore, if he ever did.
You are orshipping a false idol.
Being satirical again?
Fizzer
Fizzy has transferred his loyalty to Stephen Joyce.
I think you mean Joyce has run an amazing campaign for Winston Peters. If not then it’s the worst campaign I’ve seen by the snake oil salesman, granted he is up against a very tricky lawyer.
No. Diabolical* is the normal National position. It’s why you’re always on here defending Key’s lies.
* I’m not sure if you understand the root for diabolical.
They would heckle Osbourne but he doesn’t seem to have any visibility.
I suspect the announcement of the Northland buy election result will coincide very nicely with fisiani’s hibernation date.
It will be a long hard winter for him… poor guy.
fisiani are you for real. You must be one of the wealthy 10% who are very greedy and have no intention of sharing the wealth. Or maybe your just a one eyed WASP’y Nats supporter. What ever it is I feel sorry for you, until you understand that sharing and helping people less fortunate that yourself is the only way to run a country. This all right jack thinking has bought this country to its knees. Wake Up.!!
Yes so true.
Mr Joyce is double plus good and isn’t it great the chocolate ration has been increased
I noted the other day that rather than the “Key magic” rubbing off on Osborne, we might just see the “Joyce-puppet KDC lookalike loser magic” rubbing off on Key.
It does appear to be a major admission (this by-election strategy) that Osbourne is irrelevant and the National Party is nothing more than John Key. Sure it has been this way for awhile but now they make no attempt to pretend that anyone else matters.
…and they sure-as-hell can’t win on policy.
The problem is that Key and Joyce are arrogant control freaks, maintaining control by putting in vegetable National MP’s they can manipulate. Key is probably still trying to get Slater back on his dog leash. The wheels are starting to come off, on Team Key.
hi all, is that you skinny, giving our dear leader a hard time.
tsk tsk.
After the last Election friends who are Nat supporters were jubilant over their “landslide victory.” I expect that they might realise just how fragile that victory was/is.
“magic” is a good way of describing key….. synonyms of which include….
: sorcery, witchcraft, wizardry, necromancy, enchantment, spellworking, incantation, the supernatural, occultism, the occult, black magic, the black arts, devilry, divination, malediction, voodoo, hoodoo, sympathetic magic, white magic, witching, witchery; charm, hex, spell, jinx; mojo, orenda; makutu; informalmuti; raresortilege, thaumaturgy, theurgy
Not good things
But very effective
And the literal rational intellectual left cannot easily counter it. It requires another wizard – Winston – to make the impact.
Is “buy election” a typo or a freudian slip?
It’s what National have been trying to do.
Neither. As per DTB, a lot of people are calling it the “buy election”.
The litmus test of how loved John key actually is, will come after he quits politics and we see how people greet him in the street, restaurants, etc. I don’t think he will ever get a genuinely warm welcome in the way that Helen Clark does, for instance. He will have his place in history, but he will not be looked back on with great affection.
Have a look at the polling post nearby showing the blue line hovering near 50% since Honest John became Leader and the red line near 30% no matter who leads Labour. You are delusional. After 6 terms in office John Key (18 years) when he retires he will still get the warmest welcome of any Prime Minister in over 30 years.
Blow it out of your fizzy anus.
What we’re not prepared to accept are pointless personal attacks, or tone or language that has the effect of excluding others.
My handle is fisiani.
echoes….
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CBEYA0bUwAALE6h.jpg:large
fisiani
There was a very clear point to my statement, though I appreciate that you are mentally unequipped to understand anything that doesn’t conform to your prejudices. So in your own words; “You are delusional”.
If you are having trouble accepting the robust standard of debate here from those who are heartily sick of your gaslighting bullshit, then you are free to fuck off elsewhere.
What we’re not prepared to accept are pointless personal attacks, or tone or language that has the effect of excluding others.
fisiani the repetitive
How do you even manage to type? When you so obviously have your fingers shoved in your ears while chanting “lalalalala” to block out anything that might disturb your fine opinion of yourself.
Dishonest John the shonky sociopath may one day speak a lie directly to your face one day – if you’re a lucky wee underbridge dweller. You don’t have an ounce of his facile glibness, all your own lies just feel so painfully rehearsed. I can’t even be bothered thinking of anything original to say to you anymore:
“Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries.”
just like muldoon
dishonest john is just another Muldoon and will be regarded the same by history
muldoon at least built stuff, key’s just asset stripped and put our soverignty, laws, priavcy, soldiers lives etc up for sale
How the hell would John Key stay out of prison for another 9 years?
The litmus test will be after he has been hanged and burned, and his ashes cast into the sea, how many New Zealanders will weep, that do not weep for joy.
“that will not weep for joy(ce)” lol.
It’ll be gravy for Joyce – there’s nothing else in that shambling pack of ambulant dog tucker that could even begin to lead a credible opposition.
He’ll be known as the most divisive and polarising of PMs New Zealand has ever known.
John Key has always been heckled. From the day he was elected the 50%+ of the electorate that despise him have stood up to him and let him know about it.
Winston will win by a landslide.
Every true lefty who in Northland must vote Winston this week. It is the only way of ensuring that National cannot ram though further draconian laws in this term.
VOTE WINSTON.
One of the surprising characteristics of a sociopath ( according to a study of financial market traders done by a Swiss University, Basel I think, they were comparing FMTs to sociopaths ) was that 50% of people could spot them and 50% couldn’t, but given another type of sociopath the 50% ratio stayed the same but the mix of spotters was quite different.
There’s Keys popularity explained possibly.
BTW, sociopaths needed about 4 of 10 or so traits to be considered as such, financial market traders averaged 7 to 8 traits.
So true.
Both National and Labour have created and entrenched an economic environment which disproportionately rewards sociopathic behaviour. Neither are willing to reverse it, perhaps tinker a bit with it around the edges.
The move to a rentier society and then collapse seems to be the innate track of capitalistic societies. And, no, the ‘rulers’ won’t change the direction even when it becomes obvious that the path that they’ve set us upon is the path to disaster.
Yes backed up by the NL ACT candidate telling me the other day that the party see’s Labour as a future coalition partner. Little wonder they think this way when you critique some of the LP MP’s and the last intake of candidates. They are realistic ‘not under Little.’
The Anderson’s Bay Peninsula Branch of the Labour Party (Dunedin South) will be voting on a formal denounciation and renounciation of neoliberalism at its AGM this weekend.
Someone in Labour has to.
Bloody good stuff cobbah you should flick me a copy we can do the same thru our LEC. Say hi the brother Jim Kelly.
How honoured I feel, just got an invite to the grey fox election gig and a big thanks for pulling in votes from our network. Its all about building bridges and it starts in Northland, ‘coalition bridges that is’ cheers Stephen Joyce & John Key we couldn’t have done it without your bridge building skills 🙂
LOLOLOLOL!
Correct. It’s most often referred to as neo-liberalism with a corrupt, cronyist twist.
Gordon Campbell has a good point on the disadvantages of; Shon Key neglecting his Prime Ministerial duties, to scurry back to Northland and shove his hand up muppet Osbourne’s ass:
http://gordoncampbell.scoop.co.nz/2015/03/27/gordon-campbell-on-a-funeral-in-asia-and-northland/
SE Asian governments have had plenty of time to get the measure of Key and his Cabinet. His snubbing of Singapore over a panic about a by-election will merely confirm their long held assessments.
Even Audrey Young is criticising key for this on her twitter feed (sorry, can’t link for some unknown reason)
shove his hand up muppet Osbourne’s ass
That would explain the squint.
On Sunday Key is in Melbourne, as 12th man, of course. You know they couldn’t have done it without him, just as the ABs and every other NZ team have found him to be indespensible when it comes to the big games.
When we win I’ll bet he takes to the field.
He’s such a pathetic try-hard.
He is throwing Osborne under Winston’s bus by taking off on Saturday and not sticking around. He reminds me of the Italian cruise ship captain who abandoned his sinking ship.
Literally putting some distance between Joyce and himself, Judith Collins smile will be just as wide as Peters if he wins on the night 🙂
Bad week for National:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11424168
Note that McCully dismisses the issue as just journalist talk. He said,
“”If foreign governments want to raise issues about the assumptions being made by journalists we will respond. We will do this in private rather than through the news media.”
Clearly this is a totally unimportant issue to this Government. Ha!
It’s been on the news in Brazil. Seems they’re not happy.
Objectives of the GCSB
http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2003/0009/latest/DLM187828.html?search=ta_act_G_ac%40ainf%40anif_an%40bn%40rn_200_a&p=1
Yep! Seems like the GCSB have done amazingly well at contributing to the international relations of NZ. Well done them.
Why all the gloating?
How can this aid formation of a Labour lead government at the next general election?
Assuming Winston wins, NZ first continues to roll along and maybe increases its share of the party vote.
Winston holds the balance of power at the next general election.
We all know that there is mutual loathing between NZ First and the Greens; they will not form a government with each other.
National cosies up to NZ First, Labour still in opposition.
Yes?
No?
Simple Allan. A tall poppy who was tall under false pretences is crumbling. Hooray!
+ 1 Alan
Winston winning, which I hope he does, doesn’t bode well for labour imo. I think some have confused tactics with strategy. All this will do is increase the ability of NZF and diminish labour. Sad to see so many think the gnat lapdogs will grow some spine and oppose their gnat benefactors – come the next election they will do what they’ve done previously and go for the babbles – and notwithstanding some grandstanding it will pretty much be business as usual till then.
Cut it out mate let’s take one street battle at a time in this war. We need a win, runs on the board. With respect who is to say Peters won’t be pushing daisies by the time of the next election. Labour just have too rid the deadwood and sort their policy platform the leader is not a worry next time around.
Sure labour needs a win – guess what it will be winstons win on saturday not labours or the lefts. and lol to your last sentence.
It’ll be NAct’s loss. That’s the best that was on offer at the moment. I’ll take it.
Yep well I’ll shut up about it now – I also want a gnat loss and I’m not labour so whatever they do or think I’ll leave them to it. My warnings have fallen on deaf ears.
Yeah. I’m afraid Labour have cloth ears for the strugglers in NZ society. 🙁
Too many vested interests in protecting the stuff-ups they did in the past. What they did in the 80’s and 2000’s may have been with the best of intentions, but it was to the detriment of those at the bottom, and that is never good policy.
Frankly i don’t see any hope of a change until the “middle class” wake up to the fact they are being well shafted as well. This is going to take some time. Now we have the situation that to make ends meet, both spouses must work full time, and children spend all day in day care. Something that we in the 50’s and 60’s used to point derisively at happening in the USSR!
Globalisation and “free trade” all sound wonderful, but they have had the effect of importing lower labour standards and pay into our country, and we (Labour in particular!) still haven’t learnt!
+ 1 Yep spot on Macro. I think the middle class will only wake up when it is all far too late – especially since the 2 major parties love spinning them lines about how it is all going to get better tomorrow. I remember computers coming in and the great ideal of more spare time – just ended up taking the laptop home and working more hours and this ‘unintended consequences’ outcome is rife throughout our society. We still haven’t learnt because the pain of realising that WE are the problem is too hard to accept – much better to listen to liarjohn and pretend.
to change will take revolution not evolution methinks
Yes Marty and the other factor is that with both working full time (and longer and longer hours because of increasing work demands) and then having to give quality time to the kids and drive them all over the country for swimming, dancing, etc. Parents have no time to actually sit down and think just what it is that is happening to them. Many have never lived in a pre-neo-liberal economy and have no understanding of what life might be like if they didn’t have all the whiz bang things the TV tells them to buy.
So true and sadly i feel that it is deliberately created for us by others. I really feel despair for people caught up in having, absolutely having, to work their guts out just to stay still, just to tread water and keep it out of their mouths – it is an absolute disgrace and indictment on our society and the manifestation of the gross inequality felt by so many.
There is no time to think for many people, just a desperate movement to keep everything going. I’m lucky in some ways in that where I live other values come to the fore for many – but there is no glamour in being poor – it is still bloody hard work 🙂
That’s two of us who aren’t Labour. We have two and a half years to build something before the next general election. In the meantime, Winnie could slow Key down a bit. Labour doesn’t seem to want to.
+1 Murray
The effect of the Nat’s getting dealt too will wake the fuck up plenty of other regions outside of Jaffa city and Christchurch, from the trance of Teflon John. Hopefully Peters wins and then the shit sticks to the slippery prick.
“In simple terms, National is demonstrating third term disconnect, division among its factions, and pomposity and arrogance……”
Took ’em a long long time to wake up eh?, but at least they have.
What now for the rest of New Zill?
Will we have to wait for the quinsiqinces of the TPPA to kick in, and the muddle class to be hit in the pocket before we get people re-engaged in politics? I suspect so. (Like Split Ends – it won;t happen overnight, but it WILL happen)
The good thing is though, that when they do (I.e. the sleepy laid beck hobbits, pissed as newts 3 nights a weak [some even lumbering great chocolate-loving, Tui-sucking; “the Bitchelor”-viewing” cashie-job tradies and others – fucking great lumps of fucking lard], they’ll be very very angry.
(Just as an aside……why that’s occurred is almost completely down to what was once termed a 4th Estate – who I don’t see coming out of our future unscathed)
WHEN they do, those of us on the left will be able to preach the Natzi mantra (of personal responsibility, etc., etc., etc.). I can imagine a not-too-distant NZ, and world, where those responsible for signing away sovereignty and the ability for self-determination to be held accountable – PERSONALLY. No doubt when it happens, they’ll be squealing like stuffed pigs, blaming their contemporaries and colleagues (imagine QT in Parliament for example with all those ‘nodders’ worshipping Our Saviour JK, etc.). I don’t think it’s going to cut it for them somehow.
I’d suggest that when the shit hits the fan, all that personal responsibility mantra the plebians have had to suffer will be translated into personal LIABILITY.
Christ! How we never seem to learn from history
……I’ll hit enter/submit now, cognisant of the possibility of being banned (because of a discussion with some1 I usually admire, but who – I my opinion – seeks to normalise RATHER than deal with a serious problem afflicting laid back New Zill [ FATNESS OBEISITY, SUBSERVIENCE to the sugar pushers]).
Useless lumps of lard ARE uselss lumps of lard – Worse if they’re also FAT fucking useless lumps of lard and there’s an Osbourne who epitomises a FAT (due to laziness, greed and avarice), USELESS lump of lard – who also happens to be not the sharpest knife in the drawer. Hopefully there won’t be two separate threads on this site dealing with FAT USELSS LUMPS OF LARD apologists
There might be another useful corollary of Northland voters dumping a poor candidate who should have won by a country mile.
That is, in a General Election, voters might learn in a practical way that MMP allows voters in an electorate to reject a poor candidate and still assist the party of their choice with their party vote.
That lesson would resonate long and loud in Party rooms.
Is it my imagination have the Nats had a large number of poor candidates?
All the one that have been dumped.
Has anyone got a list?
Today – followed John Key like a bad smell in KeriKeri!
He had his ‘squeaky’ voice .
A sure sign that at the end of the day he is feeling neither ‘comfortable’ nor
‘relaxed’?
Penny Bright
Note the casual mouth twist trying to look relaxed. Huh.
I say Winny will win but the real bad story here is Labour ditched Northland – showed no fight or ticker – this is not lost me and many other people.
Well done NZ first – very sad day for Labour
Good grief Upnorth where have you been these past few weeks? Labour has done nothing of the sort. We’ve got Kelvin Davis in Te Tai Tokerau and by 2017 we’ll have Willow Jean Prime in parliament too as a Northland list MP. The reality was: Labour didn’t have a show in hell of winning but NZ First did! At this point in time the aim is to reduce the NAct majority so it will be harder for them to emasculate the economy and introduce draconian measures aimed at further eroding social outcomes for the poor and the dispossessed – not to mention the steady erosion of our privacy.
+1 Anne
+ 1 Upnorth
Cheap shot Marty don’t tell me your still sore over Hone getting cleaned out in TTT. The chicken shit puts up a novice in the by election. The L/D cleaned his clock with ease the other night when he started his what if diatribe on the 2014 election. Ask Bright she was there. Last I saw of him he was standing outside licking his wounds while I was talking to Prime & Robin Grief.
all I did was + 1 you dick – if that’s a cheap shot you need to get out more.
I have said many times that yes Hone lost and that is that – but sure it still hurts because I think he was great in the house and I miss him in there.
and sorry I wasn’t there the other night – unlike you I’m not at all of the significant events of the last and this century bathering to the significant people about what a winner I am – you know those that have to skite about themselves just show how weak and useless they feel and are – sort your shit out mate – do a course or some self development to offset this major external recognition deficit you have – fuck you might even make something of yourself if you do and that’ll be nice won’t it.
Sorry skinny after pigmans comment I didn’t realise I was agreeing with a trole – shame on me – so please accept my apologies for calling you a dick and saying you need to get out more – I’m sure you get out more than enough.
As for Rueben Taipari Porter – he is a man of Mana. Have a read you may be surprised
http://mananews.co.nz/wp/?p=4167
ll good Marty I posted my last comment then read your peace offering, by that stage I couldn’t edit.
Rueben speaks well, I actually rate him fairly highly. My objective was to pull all the candidates up when they start plucking shit out of their own arse and stray away from their partys policies. Rueben was on a roll and made few mistakes, apart from blaming every other party then his own for their defeat. While Prime may have been non fussed, or diplomatic about cracking Labour for placing Davis out the backdoor ‘again’ on the list so he had to win his seat or he was on the dole, I wasn’t and called it. Yeah and the dot com connection came up as a result, Reuben attempt to defend him and got the why support a neo liberal treatment and I knocked him over with ease. I assume he learnt a lesson, the one trick pony style doesn’t work if some in the crowd have heard it all before. Very content keeping the left party’s left thanks. BTW taking up an offer from ACT has already been politely rejected.
Do you also +1 this concern trole’s comments on Iraq 2015 and how we need to get some gussss?
Or do you defend his right to cream the housing market?
Do you agree with him that Green voters don’t vote?
Or his view that if Snowden has nothing to hide he has nothing to fear?
Oh I bet he's SO SO SAD for Labour..! Let's not be seduced by his tears of concern troling..
no I don’t but thanks for pointing it all out – I certainly hadn’t gone back and read his previous comments – my bad, sorry about that.
Don’t apologise! I don’t keep tabs on these chumps either, but when their comments are as fishy as that, I sometimes run due diligence 🙂
Cry me a river, may it wash away the concern troles.
I haven’t seen any guidance from TS moderators on this, but I imagine that we won’t be able to comment on the byelection from midnight to 7pm tomorrow when the voting booths close. All I could see on the Electoral Commission site was:
http://www.elections.org.nz/events/2015-northland-election-0/northland-election-timetable
So while I’ve got time, I want to take one more opportunity to urge any in Northland to vote for Peters. A Nat/NZF government can’t be worse than our present NACT one, and even just having to bribe Dunne will at least slow down their schemes a bit. Also, if you are in Northland and have the time – scrutineer a booth, or a count (get in touch with a campaign headquarters now); it’s tedious but very important work.