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Where National lost control of the budget spin

Eddie — Wed, 23 May 2012 19:04:05 +0000

Poor political choices, lazy spin management, a succession of statistics highlighting National's poor management of the economy, a much more active Opposition, and, let's not forget, a much less friendly media ever since the teapot tapes have combined to make this the first budget that has hurt National, rather than bolstered it.

Worst Spin Ever

Anthony R0bins — Thu, 10 May 2012 22:51:14 +0000

According to John Key voters rejecting austerity is good news for the government, high unemployment is a sign of confidence in the economy, ignorance is strength, black is white, and he has a bridge to sell you.

Ask no questions?

Mike Smith — Wed, 02 May 2012 09:02:41 +0000

There's the facts, the questions and the legal opinions. Today in Parliament John Key stuck to his lack of interest in detailed questions, and adherence to Banks' reliance on legal opinions. He even alleged that the Labour Opposition agreed with these opinions. Not likely. The Police need to ask all the relevant questions that have so far not been answered by Banks or asked by Key, then their veracity and reliability should be established by a judge.

The name’s on the cheque!

Mike Smith — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 11:04:22 +0000

Campbell Live showed us pictures of the Cheques by which Kim Dotcom's company Megastuff made donations to Team Banksie 2010. How can John Banks argue that the two donations of $25,000 from Kim Dotcom's company Megastuff Limited are anonymous when the company name is on the cheque? You could look up their address on the website. Game over, John and John.

Filleted Murdock

Mike Smith — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 04:46:17 +0000

Stayed up last night to watch Robert Jay QC question Rupert Murdoch at the Leveson enquiry. It was riveting - you can see why top lawyers like Jay are called silks. Murdoch denied, deferred, demeaned, derided and defended but couldn't help himself - ended up with more damage than control. This affair has more legs than a millipede.

Who blew the Budget?

Eddie — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 22:58:24 +0000

As part of the Nats' pre-Budget framing, English's mate Farrar is running graphs meant to show a blow-out in spending under Labour. Problem is, he hasn't adjusted for GDP growth, or even inflation. How dumb does he think we are?

Nats need better excuses on billion dollar tax cut borrowing

James Henderson — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 20:38:20 +0000

As the Nats try to spin us into accepting another zero budget, focus is turning to 2 big holes that their policy decisions have created. First, the $1b+ a year spend on the low to negative value Roads of National (Party) Significance. Second, the $1b+ annual cost of the 2010 tax changes. That's $2b+ that could be spent elsewhere, avoiding spending cuts without more borrowing.

Punching above our weight

The Standard — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 21:50:46 +0000

Punching above our weight will never be the same again ...

Key linked to Pullar claim

Anthony R0bins — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 06:22:58 +0000

Close Up tonight led with the allegation, based on a leaked document, that John Key (and other prominent Nats) were listed as supporting a $14 million dollar insurance claim by Bronwyn Pullar.

Come back, we were just measuring GDP wrong!

Zetetic — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 23:34:00 +0000

100 jobs a day were lost in January and 1000 people a week left New Zealand for Australia last year but it turns out it was all a mistake! David Farrar has discovered that we measure GDP slightly differently from Australia and if we use their measure then the purchasing power parity-adjusted difference in GDP per capita is close to zero. Hooray!

Lazy thinking

Zetetic — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 19:10:57 +0000

Anyone saying there are plenty of jobs, people are just to snobby (ie lazy) to take them, has to explain why 90,000 people suddenly got lazy between 2008 and 2009 as 80,000 jobs disappeared.

Righties cutting themselves on Occam’s razor

Eddie — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 22:52:25 +0000

The Left has its fair share of conspiracy theorists - who think that, for reasons tenuously explained at best, various, often opposing, organisations are secretly carrying out massive cons and not being discovered. But we've got nothing on the Right. Belief that climate change is world's most enormous conspiracy, engineered for no good reason, is an article of faith for these guys. If it weren't so serious, it would be hilarious.

Nats try to confuse between churn & real job growth

James Henderson — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 21:23:19 +0000

There are quarter of a million jobless people. In a typical quarter, about 250,000 people start new jobs. Does that mean we can eliminate joblessness in a quarter? Of course fucken not, but that's what National is telling you when they rabbit on about '10,000 jobs on Trademe'. To get joblessness and benefit numbers down you need a net increase in jobs,not just churn.

Selling asset sales to [insert region here]

Eddie — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 22:09:56 +0000

Not everyone in the Beehive is thrilled that National is throwing away its chance at a third term for the sake of asset sales which make no sense, economically or politically. The Standard has obtained a copy of the generic column that National MPs are meant to add some 'local flavour' to and have published in their regional papers. It shows how cynical and shallow their position really is.

A reply to Steven Joyce

Anthony R0bins — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 19:00:38 +0000

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.