Archive for February, 2011

Key’s “unpopular concessions”

Written By: - Date published: 7:39 am, February 22nd, 2011 - 34 comments

With the TPP being negotiated in secret today the signs from John Key are that he’s planning to sell us down the river.

But given the way he sold out our work rights to Warner Brothers we shouldn’t be surprised.

“I’m not going to make excuses…”

Written By: - Date published: 7:32 am, February 22nd, 2011 - 25 comments

Which John Key are we to believe?  John “I’m not going to make excuses” Key, or John “because [the government] was preoccupied” Key.  Take your pick – Key is all things to all people…

Open mike 22/02/2011

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, February 22nd, 2011 - 57 comments

Open mike is your post. It’s open for discussing topics of interest, making announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. Comment on whatever takes your fancy. The usual good behaviour rules apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike…

In our land of plenty

Written By: - Date published: 9:21 pm, February 21st, 2011 - 55 comments

Look past the tattered remains of Brand Key and the Nats have not changed in the past 20 years. They still don’t have a clue how to create a wealthier New Zealand but they know how to hurt people. As in the 1990s, they are falling back on bashing people who are jobless through no fault of their own. This clip from ‘In a Land of Plenty’ deserves to be watched again.

Sniffing produce

Written By: - Date published: 5:42 pm, February 21st, 2011 - 22 comments

This really should be Friday Fun, but maybe your Monday needs a smile too.  Today on Kiwiblog an ex ACT MP David Garrett complains about telling off an Asian-but-I’m-not-racist woman in the supermarket for sniffing fruit.  Apparently it’s just not done here.  Isn’t it?  Someone should tell John Key…

Sleeper issue

Written By: - Date published: 12:00 pm, February 21st, 2011 - 9 comments

Overnight carers have won the right to be paid at least the minimum wage for time when they are not working and free to sleep, as well as when they need to provide care to their charges in the middle of the night. In reaction, National appears set to legislate away the basic right that when you’re at work you get minimum wage.

Sickening

Written By: - Date published: 11:21 am, February 21st, 2011 - 74 comments

Key has blamed a soldier being killed in Afghanistan for the limo affair. This is just an attempt by Key to protect himself from criticism by hiding behind a soldier’s death. This is just sickening. The very worst kind of politics from a man who can’t take responsibility for his actions and is happy to take advantage of others’ tragedy.

Salvation Army: welfare proposals ‘defining moment’

Written By: - Date published: 10:41 am, February 21st, 2011 - 26 comments

The Salvation Army has a Social Policy and Parliamentary Unit that comes out with some very well researched material. Their State of the Nation is compelling reading and their fear of the government’s welfare proposals coming out tomorrow speaks volumes.

The benefits of public spending

Written By: - Date published: 9:36 am, February 21st, 2011 - 97 comments

We know from history, and from our own recent experience, that tax cuts don’t cause growth.  Privatisation and public service cuts don’t do us any good either.  What does cause growth?  Public spending.  What’s more, public spending is much more efficient than the private sector too…

Trends good for Left, much work to do

Written By: - Date published: 7:25 am, February 21st, 2011 - 80 comments

It can be depressing to see a week of the government on the ropes and then polls showing National with an apparently commanding lead. But lets go beyond the shallow analysis offered by the talking heads and look at the trends. The Left has more than halved the Right’s lead since its peak. The question is: can the Left close the remaining gap in time?

Open mike 21/02/2011

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, February 21st, 2011 - 46 comments

Open mike is your post. It’s open for discussing topics of interest, making announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. Comment on whatever takes your fancy. The usual good behaviour rules apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike…

Business awakens to National’s undemocratic ways

Written By: - Date published: 10:41 pm, February 20th, 2011 - 6 comments

On a day when I’ve heard of 3 smaller businesses shutting down due to National’s economy, Big Business too is waking up to the flaws in National’s ways. The push through, don’t consult, override the wishes of the people mentality even chafes the corporates when it’s not in their favour.

Hello TV3 – can you count?

Written By: - Date published: 6:27 pm, February 20th, 2011 - 94 comments

Is Duncan Garner just recycling headlines from last year?

Updated: Apology from TV3

Key out of touch on food & poverty

Written By: - Date published: 10:52 am, February 20th, 2011 - 67 comments

Hunger and malnutrition are stalking New Zealand families. Hundreds of thousands are just one shock – whether an illness, or a large bill – from not being able to afford basic food. This is not good enough in our land of plenty. Multi-millionaire John Key doesn’t empathise. To him poverty is a moral failing but he’s seriously out of touch.

Whitcoulls

Written By: - Date published: 8:19 am, February 20th, 2011 - 32 comments

Whitcoulls has been here since forever — “one of New Zealand’s most famous and enduring retail chains”.  But the chain is in big trouble, and it’s sad to watch the ongoing wreck.  Let’s hope that Whitcoulls can be saved before hundreds more workers and families in NZ lose their livelihood to the moribund economy.

Open mike 20/02/2011

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, February 20th, 2011 - 49 comments

Open mike is your post. It’s open for discussing topics of interest, making announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. Comment on whatever takes your fancy. The usual good behaviour rules apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike…

Cullen Fund cuts cost $334m

Written By: - Date published: 10:54 am, February 19th, 2011 - 24 comments

The limo issue reveals everything wrong with the Key government in microcosm: greedy, elitist, hypocritical, liars. Against the background of the failing economy, it’s one hell of a bad look. But in monetary terms, it pales in to comparison beside their decision to cancel Cullen Fund contributions, which has now cost $334 million.

Re-imagining Danyl’s special theory of Key

Written By: - Date published: 9:37 am, February 19th, 2011 - 45 comments

Over at Dimpost, Danyl wrote an interesting piece after seeing the video of John Key in the House saying that if Kiwi families find themselves needing to go to foodbanks it is their fault. That nasty moment, Danyl thought, explained the disconnect between how the political Left and the general public perceives Key. Actually, it’s just the surface.

Compare and contrast

Written By: - Date published: 7:40 am, February 19th, 2011 - 54 comments

Idiot/Savant at No Right Turn compares the bailout of SCF investors with the Nats’ threat to change the law to deny some workers the minimum wage.

Open mike 19/02/2011

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, February 19th, 2011 - 69 comments

Open mike is your post. It’s open for discussing topics of interest, making announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. Comment on whatever takes your fancy. The usual good behaviour rules apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike…

Good company?

Written By: - Date published: 3:46 pm, February 18th, 2011 - 21 comments

Our PM in the company of his peers?

News round-up

Written By: - Date published: 2:29 pm, February 18th, 2011 - 15 comments

Another 1,000 Kiwi jobs at risk – this future… it’s too bright
New right Reform NZ Party forms – will big names join?
Old man Douglas thinks Parliament rises at 9pm – It’s 10pm. Hope he stays retired this time.
Nats preparing to legislate away more workers’ rights
$2 petrol now – wait until the Northern summer

Decline & fall of the odd-spot PM

Written By: - Date published: 10:59 am, February 18th, 2011 - 57 comments

Yesterday, the Nats panicked. Under fire for failing to deliver jobs, for planning to sell assets to pay for tax cuts for the rich, and the gross hypocrisy of the BMW debacle, they put out 5 press releases less than 2 hours trying to spin their way out of trouble. It didn’t work. Nor does smile and wave anymore. The NBR calls this John Key’s ‘Wile E Coyote moment’.

Nats impose media ban on selves

Written By: - Date published: 9:15 am, February 18th, 2011 - 11 comments

In a surprise move, John Key has announced the National Party is imposing a media ban on itself until the BMW limo affair dies down. “We got the idea from the Maori Party. Every time they open their mouths over Hone Harawira, things get worse. Shut their mouths and the issue goes away. Brilliant. There’s so much we can learn from our Maori friends”

2 to 1 against privatisation

Written By: - Date published: 7:53 am, February 18th, 2011 - 52 comments

Kiwis are strongly against selling our public assets. National’s policy is opposed by 60% and supported by just 30%. That’s more opposition than the mining proposal. There’ll be no back-down from the Nats – pillaging the State is a core reason for them wanting power. On these numbers, it may lose them the election.

Open mike 18/02/2011

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, February 18th, 2011 - 72 comments

Open mike is your post. It’s open for discussing topics of interest, making announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. Comment on whatever takes your fancy. The usual good behaviour rules apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike…

John Key – Liar

Written By: - Date published: 6:59 pm, February 17th, 2011 - 182 comments

John Key and his government have told us a series of lies over the new BMW fleet.  One by one they have been disproven.  As the truth slowly closed in Key clung to one last deception, that he himself didn’t know about the impending replacement until last week.  Now that lie has been busted too.

Minister vs Minister – deathmatch

Written By: - Date published: 2:37 pm, February 17th, 2011 - 18 comments

Rodney Hide has accepted Tariana Turia and Pita Sharples’ challenge to a street race to settle the Supercity Maori Advisory Board dispute. Standing beside his customised Crown limo, the Kupapa II, Sharples said “we called on Rodney to resign as he promised but he won’t. So we’re taking this battle to the streets”.

What do you think Righty – a perfect score?

Written By: - Date published: 1:30 pm, February 17th, 2011 - 50 comments

Even the most optimistic lefty can’t deny that National are continuing to dominate the opinion polls. That must be quite a source of pride and confidence for the Right. But I wonder, is there anything that rightwing voters believe this National-led Government has done wrong? A couple of years ago I asked what rightwing voters thought […]

More Wong lies uncovered

Written By: - Date published: 12:30 pm, February 17th, 2011 - 10 comments

Remember all those unanswered questions over the abuse of public money by Pansy Wong and her husband? So does Campbell Live, which has uncovered the story of Sammy’s former business partner Steven Priest, who claims that Sammy ripped him off with Pansy’s help. It was Pansy’s signature on Priest’s contract that first got her in trouble.

Davey’s dodgy polling

Written By: - Date published: 10:59 am, February 17th, 2011 - 24 comments

There’s long been doubt over the quality of David Farrar’s Curia polling company. Now, Tim Watkin has produced a first-hand report of Curia’s questioning. The tone of the questions is biased, which is really dumb if you’re trying to get useful data. It’s not really push polling, it’s Farrar delivering what the Nats want to hear to maintain his standing in the party.