Archive for November, 2008

Dunne’s deal?

Written By: - Date published: 9:58 am, November 3rd, 2008 - 37 comments

The revelations in today’s Dompost that Peter Dunne’s United party took a donation from the Vela family shows again what a messy business donations can be. The Vela family opposed New Zealand following a new UN fishing agreement. Ross Meurant, acting for the Velas met with Dunne, days later he issued a press release opposing […]

PSA tackles the stats

Written By: - Date published: 7:30 am, November 3rd, 2008 - 38 comments

The PSA have put together some interesting numbers on the size of the public service. They appear to tell a different story to the one we’ve been hearing about from Mr Key who wants a” razor gang of cabinet ministers to trim state sector fat”. For example: We’re on par with Australia: Australian public service […]

Closing arguments

Written By: - Date published: 4:07 pm, November 2nd, 2008 - 58 comments

Six days to go. Here are the five big issues that I am finding can turn swing voters to the Left. There are others as well (see our Standard line series) but these have been effective points in my experience. Over the next few days, you’re bound to find yourself talking to people who are […]

Public politics

Written By: - Date published: 3:30 pm, November 2nd, 2008 - 46 comments

In today’s Herald six prominant NZer’s nail their political colours to the mast: Sir Paul Reeves: electorate vote Maori party, party vote Labour; “Labour will still get his party vote, and he would prefer that the Maori Party formed a government with Labour, rather than National” Graham Lowe: “ending a 40-year relationship with Labour to […]

Vote smart: The Maori seats

Written By: - Date published: 2:26 pm, November 2nd, 2008 - 33 comments

Each of the Maori seats presents an opportunity for tactical voting for a left-wing voter. If you favour the Maori Party candidate in your seat, and you think you can trust them to support working with a Labour-led government, then go ahead and vote for them. But give your party vote to the Greens or […]

SSTimes finds more $ in the pocket

Written By: - Date published: 9:15 am, November 2nd, 2008 - 22 comments

From this mornings SSTimes: New research has revealed a dramatic reversal in financial fortunes for the average Kiwi family, which is now $60 better off each week than it was six months ago. Falling mortgage costs teamed with the government’s October 1 tax cuts and a beefed up Working for Families package are the main reasons […]

Vote smart: The micro parties

Written By: - Date published: 11:58 am, November 1st, 2008 - 101 comments

Last election, 7,000 people gave their votes to very small left-wing parties that never had any chance of winning a seat in Parliament. That’s 0.3% of the vote; a small but not insignificant amount. If those votes to the Alliance and Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis had gone to the Greens instead (who, after all, have 99% […]

What a rag

Written By: - Date published: 10:27 am, November 1st, 2008 - 56 comments

A week out from the election, Granny Herald has still yet to do any proper coverage of the effects on individuals and the economy of National’s four flagship policies: privatising ACC, gutting Kiwisaver, reducing work rights, and weakening the RMA and ETS.  Yet, they can find the space to tell us which politicians would make the […]

End of Winston?

Written By: - Date published: 9:30 am, November 1st, 2008 - 82 comments

The Dominion Post has published some pretty damning evidence indicating Winston Peters’ connections with the Vela family. According to the Dom Winston’s right-hand man, Ross Meurant, was telling the Vela’s that their donations to New Zealand First would give them “input” into the party’s policies. Like many others I’m always hesitant to predict the end […]