The Standard » same old national

NRT: Nats censoring the media

The Standard — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 22:02:05 +0000

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.

End of the holiday season on Morning Report

Rupert the Beer — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 23:26:49 +0000

It was great to hear the familiar Morning Report tune this morning, signalling the end of the holiday season and, with it, an end to the popcorn journalism that Radio NZ has dished up since Christmas Eve. I don’t have any problem with National Radio’s summer line-up (in fact, Matinee Idle is radio gold), but ...

Concerns Mount Over Absence Of Social Media Gaffes

The Standard — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 08:52:31 +0000

Scott at ImperatorFish is worried. A National Party MP's colleagues have become increasingly concerned about his wellbeing, after he failed for two consecutive days to make a fool of himself on Twitter. Concerns were raised when colleagues of Tau Henare realised that they had not noticed a single social media brainfart from the list MP for over 48 hours.

State house evictions

Mike Smith — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 04:50:06 +0000

In 2005 Labour wrote to State House tenants with a warning "Don't let National sell your house." We were criticised for scaring people. Now Tamaki residents have got the real letters. And the boot. Same old National.

Ashcroft – the photo-op Key didn’t want

Mike Smith — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 08:08:23 +0000

Paddy Gower at TV3 reveals Lord Ashcroft, billionaire Tory donor and International Democratic Union treasurer, has come to talk to Key again. Just discussed politics generally, said Key. Politics yes, generally no. Ashcroft's interests are now devoted to polling and blog communication, and he is very interested in our election. Having seen Cameron miss out on a majority, he'll want to help Key to one here.

Nat minister: we don’t want success for other people

Zetetic — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 00:00:43 +0000

Which National Cabinet Minister said to Allan Peachey "You want success for other people. You're a very enriching person whereas the rest of us have all come from backgrounds where we look after ourselves"? It's a pretty revealing quote. National's ministers aren't about the greater good. They're in it for their own glory.

Wheelers: A typical working class tale…

The Standard — Sat, 15 Oct 2011 23:10:03 +0000

Over at Wheelers corner in the Manwatu there is this rather classic post about a conversation overheard in a cafe. It really does stand on its own as a tombstone to a departing MP.

Covert surveillance should not be allowed retrospectively

The Standard — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 02:00:07 +0000

mickysavage at Waitakere News blog has an analysis of the legal and unconstitutional implications of the Nationals dubious plan to override the courts with poor kneejerk legislation. It is rather disturbing as the action appears to have more to do with electioneering than actual legal need.

NRT: A blank cheque

The Standard — Sat, 24 Sep 2011 00:25:02 +0000

No Right Turn points out the salient feature of National's hysterical response to the Supreme Court's decision on video surveillance. Reading the blank cheque that they are proposing indicates that the government has no understanding of what "the rule of law" means. It certainly does not include half-arsed measures like this.

No renewables for National

lprent — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 06:39:10 +0000

The right sure won't be able to criticise Labour about a lack of renewal in their list after National's release of their party list. If you want an actual example of what a non-renewing list really looks like, I think we now have the definitive one. It looks a lot like their energy policy this week - lots of pious talk about renewables but really just mining the same old things that have been doing for generations.

Lest we forget

Guest post — Sat, 03 Sep 2011 22:15:44 +0000

Nats talk to locals in [insert region here]

Eddie — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 18:32:47 +0000

John Hartevelt ran a piece yesterday about National's paint by numbers press releases. The problem here is not with National MPs and candidates using the same words to describe their policies or government spin. It's when they claim, in identical words, to have had information from the public when that isn't true, it's just a cookie-cutter line and a lie.

Nats rebel on privatisation

Zetetic — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 05:17:27 +0000

English is under attack at the Nat conference over asset sales. The neolibs vultures treat the state as a carcass to pick clean. But old school conservatives believe in investing the nation. And business types know you don't get rich by selling profitable assets. English has no good excuses. All he can offer is expensive measures that make selling even more unprofitable.

NRT: Brownlee’s excuse

The Standard — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 23:23:53 +0000

I/S at NoRightTurn has John Key and Gerry Brownlee floundering to explain why Brownlee hired National Party crony Jenny Shipley and other members of the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Review Panel at double the normal rate. Brownlee's excuses are weak and nonsensical. It's not good enough.

The Auckland Disease (var. North Shore)

ChrisH — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 20:42:58 +0000

There is a long and sordid relationship between National governments and developers. Just how many favours have National done for developers over the years? Are the so-called 'Roads of National Significance', especially the Holiday Highway, just a continuation of this practice? Is it any coincidence that Nicky Hager's Hollow Men are all Shore Boys?