Author Archive

Why I voted two ticks Labour

Written By: - Date published: 9:02 am, September 20th, 2017 - 64 comments

The Nats do not deserve to lead NZ so I voted for change. The electorate vote was simple. I struggled with the party vote.

Farm protest mad cows and climate change

Written By: - Date published: 3:49 pm, September 18th, 2017 - 105 comments

The farmers’ protest in Morrinsville today unfortunately shows that we have made no progress in the 15 years since Bill English attacked the wrong PM with his “mad cow” insult. Meanwhile the effects of climate change have got worse, our options for dealing with it have got fewer, and the Nats don’t want you to know about $19bn of NZ property at risk.

When scaremongering becomes self-parody

Written By: - Date published: 7:02 am, September 18th, 2017 - 34 comments

According to English, in a revealing Q+A interview, Labour wants to “slaughter the dairy herd” and “depopulate the cities”. Why is he such a scared little man? Why doesn’t National have the confidence to run a positive campaign on its policies?

Get out the young vote!

Written By: - Date published: 6:25 am, September 18th, 2017 - 10 comments

If you can do one thing help New Zealand make the right choice for the future it is this – get out the young vote!

Polls – focus on the horse race misses the huge mood for change

Written By: - Date published: 7:01 am, September 15th, 2017 - 56 comments

Labour’s surge under Jacinda Ardern has us all talking about Labour vs National – who’s in front. Exciting stuff, but there is something even more important going on. The mood represented by Labour + Green + the plurality of NZF supporters. The winds of change are blowing.

Ardern on Nat’s campaign of ‘fear and lying’

Written By: - Date published: 12:20 pm, September 13th, 2017 - 98 comments

Jacinda Ardern has spoken out about National’s campaign of “fear and lying”. Meanwhile Joyce keeps lying about his imaginary hole, and English tries to reinvent the fart tax attack.

“Boardroom” backing change

Written By: - Date published: 10:35 am, September 12th, 2017 - 18 comments

The Herald’s “mood of the boardroom” makes encouraging reading for Labour, with support for change and strong themes of social conscience.

Cartoon “Hurricane Ardern” by Emmerson.

Anyone who believes Nats’ panicked election bribes I have 10 bridges in Northland to sell you

Written By: - Date published: 7:04 am, September 12th, 2017 - 23 comments

Meet the new bridge, same as the old bridge.

Business leaders endorse Labour / Green government

Written By: - Date published: 9:23 am, September 11th, 2017 - 67 comments

In The Herald: “Fear of a Labour/Green Government in the business community is well gone, says SkyCity chairman-elect Rob Campbell”, “Business doesn’t necessarily do better under National led Governments”.

Below 40% National loses its diversity

Written By: - Date published: 7:02 am, September 11th, 2017 - 26 comments

Some polls have National below 40%. If that is reflected in the election result then National will lose much of its diversity, setting the party back by many years. The current list was constructed for the “pale stale male”. They need to be better balanced in the future.

Underpaying beneficiaries

Written By: - Date published: 10:26 am, September 10th, 2017 - 28 comments

Beneficiaries are not getting the support that they are entitled to. NZ is beset by rising poverty, its associated diseases, homelessness, and suicide. I wonder if these facts could possibly be related?

The election of truth vs lies

Written By: - Date published: 9:28 am, September 10th, 2017 - 77 comments

Even those who have supported National in the past must see that this current bunch have lost their way. National needs to renew itself, some time in opposition will do them good. Don’t vote for liars.

Labour’s climate change policy – nuclear free moment

Written By: - Date published: 10:05 am, September 8th, 2017 - 120 comments

Jacinda Ardern has released Labour’s climate change policy – including zero net carbon emissions by 2050. Jacinda has called climate change “my generation’s nuclear-free moment”.

Finance debate – Grant Robertson vs big flaming gasbag

Written By: - Date published: 8:32 am, September 7th, 2017 - 54 comments

The RNZ debate between Labour and Nat finance spokespersons has just concluded – Grant Robertson vs a big flaming gasbag. Robertson very strong, gasbag unable to name One Single Person who agrees with his $11.7bn big lie.

Three dirty hits – three epic fails

Written By: - Date published: 7:01 am, September 7th, 2017 - 21 comments

This is what an amoral party in a desperate third-term death spiral looks like.

Liar Joyce’s shifting goal posts and zero budgets

Written By: - Date published: 8:13 am, September 6th, 2017 - 16 comments

Hopelessly compromised Steven Joyce is trying to shift the goalposts from his thoroughly exposed $11.7bn lie to Labour’s “zero budgets”. He’s clutching at straws…

Joyce and English now laughing stock

Written By: - Date published: 7:01 am, September 6th, 2017 - 148 comments

Post John Key all National ever had going for it was an undeserved reputation for financial competence. Now that is gone too. It doesn’t get any worse than this 3 weeks out from an election.

Steven Joyce – liar or fool?

Written By: - Date published: 7:01 am, September 5th, 2017 - 52 comments

The economists have spoken, and Steven Joyce’s claim that there is a $11.7bn “hole” in Labours’ fiscal plan shows him to be either a liar or a fool. Shame on Bill English for repeating it in the debate.

National’s 18 new taxes

Written By: - Date published: 9:35 am, September 4th, 2017 - 14 comments

A dose of reality on National and taxes, and wise words on the media circus surrounding tax.

Labour’s support for renters

Written By: - Date published: 7:05 am, September 4th, 2017 - 54 comments

While National revert to type with populist scaremongering, Labour is getting on with the business of releasing practical policy that supports real people and addresses real problems.

Good on ya NZ – choosing Labour policy over Nat tax cut

Written By: - Date published: 7:03 am, September 3rd, 2017 - 27 comments

It is very heartening to see Kiwis rejecting National’s tax cut bribe (and English’s arrogant debate rhetoric) – in favour of supporting each other and backing Labour’s policies for a better NZ.

Revising Nats’ nasty joggers ad

Written By: - Date published: 9:30 am, September 2nd, 2017 - 22 comments

National’s nasty joggers campaign ad captures the essence of the party nicely, ignoring and making fun of those in need of help, running away from problems. But in light of the recent poll-quake it is in serious need of revision…

Bernard Hickey: Bill English’s Trump-like denial of a productivity problem

Written By: - Date published: 7:03 am, September 2nd, 2017 - 84 comments

Being compared to Trump has got to hurt. And shouldn’t there be consequences when a PM flat out lies to the country on the state of the economy?

It’s a new political world

Written By: - Date published: 7:01 am, September 1st, 2017 - 77 comments

Labour has polled ahead of National for the first time in 12 years. It is only one poll and others may differ, but it has shattered a huge psychological barrier. We’re in a new political world. Time to go hard.

The first debate

Written By: - Date published: 3:18 pm, August 31st, 2017 - 203 comments

The first debate between Jacinda Ardern and Bill English is tonight at 7pm (with a poll due at 6).

Update: CB Poll puts Labour ahead of National, and Ardern ahead of English. Crikey!

Shameful poverty – why we must elect a Labour led government

Written By: - Date published: 7:04 am, August 31st, 2017 - 48 comments

Two excellent but very disturbing pieces in The Herald yesterday. This crisis in poverty, housing and health is a national disgrace. It is why we desperately need to elect a Labour led government in September.

Rachel Smalley stop telling lies about Labour

Written By: - Date published: 7:02 am, August 31st, 2017 - 65 comments

I know I shouldn’t sweat the small stuff, but this piece by Rachel Smalley is full of lies about Labour. We deserve better journalism than this.

No one can have any confidence in a Nat NZF coalition

Written By: - Date published: 7:01 am, August 30th, 2017 - 45 comments

Peters is enraged by the presumed Nat hit on him over super. Earlier he was calling on Bill English to resign over the Barclay scandal. Given these conflicts, no one can have any confidence in a post-election Nat NZF coalition. They hate each other.

Labour’s Christchurch policy

Written By: - Date published: 8:43 am, August 28th, 2017 - 21 comments

More new policy from Labour yesterday on Christchurch. Giving locals a say in the decision making process – what a radical new idea!

Peters in super trouble

Written By: - Date published: 7:24 am, August 28th, 2017 - 207 comments

Newsroom and Newshub have broken a story about Winston Peters receiving, for the last 7 years, a single person’s super payment that he was not entitled to because he was living with an (undeclared) other person. Peters denies this but has already payed back the excess from an “innocent mistake”.

Nats double down on failed national standards policy

Written By: - Date published: 2:05 pm, August 27th, 2017 - 124 comments

The centerpiece of National’s campaign launch was an education package that doubles down on the demonstrably failed national standards policy. Out of ideas.

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