Written By: - Date published: 11:03 am, November 27th, 2009 - 4 comments
Another instalment of “John Key’s” video diary from talented impersonator PlumedeKiwi; this time taking a comedic stab at the PM’s refusal to attend the UN climate talks in Copenhagen. Key has come under an increasing amount of pressure in recent weeks over the summit, widely dubbed one of the most important meetings in history. It’s …
Written By: - Date published: 2:16 pm, June 25th, 2009 - 37 comments
Tuesday’s post, A Rankin headache started: There must be an automatic recoil on the Government benches when Christine Rankin’s name is mentioned. In the comments, “gobsmacked” makes the observation [abridged]: John Key has decided to respond by indulging in some very nasty mud-slinging. This what he said in the House on Tuesday: ‘When National was in …
Written By: - Date published: 11:39 am, June 18th, 2009 - 22 comments
It’s hard to argue with the idea of referenda. What could be more democratic than citizens deciding precisely what issues the New Zealand public should consider, and taking a vote on them? Won’t that process get people thinking, encourage participation in the democratic process and make politics more accessible? Isn’t it the kind of democracy …
Written By: - Date published: 2:29 pm, June 17th, 2009 - 13 comments
Judy Kirk claims she didn’t show at Lee’s election night gathering because Coleman had told there was ‘plenty of support’. John Key didn’t show because of the proverbial “long-standing family engagement” and he’s passing the buck on the distinct lack of senior National figures present, saying pointedly that he didn’t organise the event. So now Party …
Written By: - Date published: 9:16 am, June 16th, 2009 - 44 comments
During his time in parliament Richard Worth has cost the taxpayer well over a million dollars yet John Key won’t even be straight with the public as to why he’s gone. First Key wouldn’t tell us because he claimed he didn’t want to contaminate a police investigation, now he won’t tell us because, having resigned …
Written By: - Date published: 2:22 pm, June 9th, 2009 - 18 comments
The Herald asked this morning whose word was more credible on the Worth issue, John Key or Phil Goff. Their political editor Audrey Young has just answered the question for them. “One politician was bound to be deeply embarrassed today, Phil Goff or John Key. One would be right and one would be wrong. And …
Written By: - Date published: 11:28 am, June 9th, 2009 - 34 comments
At his post-cabinet press conference, John Key continued to determinedly fly in a death spiral over the Worth affair. The journalists asked some probing questions on the sexual offending allegations and while Key still refuses to give us the full story, more details are emerging: Key has now confirmed that he did fire Worth, it …
Written By: - Date published: 2:20 pm, June 8th, 2009 - 59 comments
As if denying Aucklanders the chance to have their say on the super city wasn’t enough National now seems determined to tell them who their mayor’s going to be too. It’s absolutely unacceptable for the PM to be endorsing John Banks as the mayor of the super city.
Written By: - Date published: 11:07 am, June 8th, 2009 - 36 comments
Whaleoil, John Key, and Melissa Lee. National’s policy wonks discuss transport modalities in an oil- and carbon-constrained future.
Written By: - Date published: 12:19 pm, June 5th, 2009 - 27 comments
Key is describing himself as ‘piggy in the middle’ in the Worth sexual harassment affair. Says he had two conflicting stories and couldn’t choose between them. What rubbish. Key accepted Worth’s version of events. He let the matter drop. No punishment for Worth. If he had been in a dilemma on who to believe he …
Written By: - Date published: 12:17 pm, June 4th, 2009 - 18 comments
First it was Paul Henry and Guyon Espiner. Both agree Key needs to “come clean with the country and give us more detail than he has”. Next up was Goff. Fair analysis. Didn’t gloat. One of his best appearances so far.
Written By: - Date published: 11:07 am, June 4th, 2009 - 76 comments
This just gets worse for Key. It has emerged that Worth was offering ‘jobs for favours’ for a young woman. Goff passed her allegations on to Key. According to the Dom (physical version, online is different) Key said “I investigated them and there didn’t appear any truth to them and I accepted Dr Worth’s version …
Written By: - Date published: 11:58 am, June 2nd, 2009 - 43 comments
Tax cuts are the right wing’s favourite answer to every question. Before the election, National were promising us that tax cuts were the key to economic growth: Key: “National will deliver an ongoing programme of personal tax cuts. Fundamentally, National believes in the growth-enhancing power of tax cuts. Labour does not.” English: “… all the …
Written By: - Date published: 12:00 pm, May 27th, 2009 - 81 comments
We need to keep paying into the Superannuation Fund. Never heard anything so dumb as the idea of stopping making payments right now. Invest now and make a tidy sum to pay for super in the future. If we don’t we’ll have to put up taxes in the future or cut super. I’m looking forward …
Written By: - Date published: 1:53 pm, April 21st, 2009 - 42 comments
A couple of months ago you may remember Tony Ryall rejecting a health select committee recommendation that cigarettes and tobacco be kept out of sight in shops to help make them less inviting. On Sunrise this morning Oliver Driver wanted to know, in the light of fresh evidence, why Key’s government is still intent on …
Written By: - Date published: 8:57 am, April 7th, 2009 - 31 comments
Vernon Small suggests that a further 60,000 workers may lose their jobs by next year. So it comes as a shock to read that John Key’s response to this latest news is to stick firmly to his: “optimistic and sunny” approach. It’s almost like he’s living in some alternative reality. While Bill is quietly crapping …
Written By: - Date published: 7:41 pm, April 5th, 2009 - 22 comments
While John Key’s been bouncing from cloud to cloud, Bill English has been grinding away in the back room. He’s finally done the the numbers on Key’s cycleway, announcing today that: We won’t be spending $50 million on it this year or next year or the year after. With one swift stroke, he’s effectively killed …
Written By: - Date published: 8:09 pm, March 4th, 2009 - 43 comments
Last month Anne Tolley ditched the requirement that schools sell healthy food to kids. Not to be outdone, minister for tobacco Tony Ryall now wants to make cigarettes more accessible to them too. Ryall has rejected the health select committee recommendation that cigarettes and tobacco be kept out of sight in shops, choosing to favour …
Written By: - Date published: 5:21 pm, February 27th, 2009 - 58 comments
A reader just sent us this one minute montage of photos from John Key’s jobs summit. Enjoy.
Written By: - Date published: 12:36 pm, February 5th, 2009 - 10 comments
Across the Tasman Kevin Rudd has announced a huge recovery package. Here at home, National is merely tinkering around the edges. Key’s standard response to this criticism is that ‘his’ package puts us amongst the top few countries in the world in terms of spend to GDP. Someone needs to ask him how much of …
Written By: - Date published: 12:13 pm, September 24th, 2008 - 24 comments
I’m usually no fan of Paul Henry as an interviewer but I’m prepared to give credit where it’s due. He certainly didn’t let John Key off the hook this morning on Breakfast. Was tempted to edit it down a bit but it’s worth watching the full thing. HENRY: “Well it’s not going well is it? …
Written By: - Date published: 4:53 pm, August 26th, 2008 - 20 comments
Here’s TV3′s coverage from last night. They’ve just completed a poll in which 45.7% of those surveyed think National has a secret agenda.
Written By: - Date published: 11:29 am, August 10th, 2008 - 17 comments
The SST reports that English says that he will “never” challenge Key for the leadership. Yet I’m told that over the past couple of years, even to some in the press gallery, English hasn’t made a secret of his future leadership ambitions around Parliament. Makes you wonder what else his faction has on Key.
Written By: - Date published: 2:06 pm, August 6th, 2008 - 2 comments
Here’s the recent coverage from TV3 and political reporter Duncan Garner. On Bill English’s comments regarding the sale of Kiwibank (aired August 4, 2008): On Lockwood Smith’s hints at a secret agenda (aired August 5, 2008): [Apologies for errors in the previous videos, have re-uploaded fresh copies, AYB]
Written By: - Date published: 11:59 am, August 5th, 2008 - 8 comments
Here’s the segment on the English meltdown from TV One last night. [I wanted to put up TV3's as well - it's good coverage, including interviews with KiwiBank customers - but I just can't seem to deal with their flaky video stream (anyone else have problems with it?)]
Written By: - Date published: 3:59 pm, July 9th, 2008 - 2 comments
Written By: - Date published: 12:23 pm, June 16th, 2008 - 15 comments
Worth a read: Remember when George Bush’s administration promised the world that the invasion of Iraq would be over in a few weeks? We were assured that the Iraqis would throw flowers at their liberators, the war would make a tidy profit and petrol prices would plummet. Next time you fill up your car think …
Written By: - Date published: 4:30 pm, May 22nd, 2008 - 36 comments
From John Armstrong in The Herald: Is it enough? Michael Cullen has given it his best shot. He has been about as generous as he could be. He and his Labour colleagues will not die wondering what might have been had the Finance minister’s tax cuts been bolder. He could not have been bolder without …
Written By: - Date published: 10:08 am, May 13th, 2008 - 8 comments
We’ve chosen the questions for John Key in the seventh installment of our “Interview the Leaders” series. The first question remains the same, as for all leaders: Of which of your achievements in politics are you most proud? For the others we’ve gone with Darryl’s question: Under the last National government most people’s wages fell …
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