Author Archive
Spying on another journalist – what did Key have to hide?
Written By: - Date published: 7:18 am, August 6th, 2013 - 78 comments
Now we learn that another Key enquiry spied on “teapot tape” reporter Bradley Ambrose. This government under John Key does not use its spying powers competently or appropriately. There is no guarantee that some future government will not be even worse. The Key-Dunne spying Bill should be rejected pending a proper enquiry and proper safeguards. Peter Dunne, please take note.
The brighter future
Written By: - Date published: 7:20 am, August 5th, 2013 - 151 comments
Welcome to John Key’s “Brighter Future”. Here are some headlines: “Violation speaks ill of our democracy”, “Chilling attacks on freedom”, “Govt betrayal on a monumental scale”, and many more…
Spying scandal forensics
Written By: - Date published: 10:46 am, August 4th, 2013 - 49 comments
National’s Friday afternoon document dump of emails between the Henry enquiry and Parliamentary Services is a trove of information. John Armstrong describes the whole mess as “Govt betrayal on a monumental scale”. For an initial forensic analysis of the evidence trail, check out Pete George.
Poverty Watch 42
Written By: - Date published: 7:49 am, August 3rd, 2013 - 86 comments
Welcome to Poverty Watch, a weekly update on National’s lack of response to the urgent and growing issue of poverty in NZ. This week, the CPAG report on the links between poverty and child abuse, and why it shows that government policy is misguided. Green MP Holly Walker tries to get a straight answer out of Paula Bennett.
Friday document dump
Written By: - Date published: 5:33 pm, August 2nd, 2013 - 63 comments
The government has tried a good old fashioned Friday Document Dump, releasing the email correspondence relating to Henry Inquiry. More incompetence and or lies are revealed, and Peter Dunne is pissed. No doubt we can expect the same levels of honesty and competence when the Key-Dunne spying bill extends the potential for spying to us all.
88 flavours of bullshit
Written By: - Date published: 7:16 am, August 2nd, 2013 - 31 comments
Presumably there is some tiny but “real” risk of terrorist action in NZ. But it doesn’t justify the broad powers of the Key-Dunne spying Bill. Recent experience and the government’s own protocols show that these spying powers will be used on activists and journalists that the government of the day doesn’t like. The 88 who have been illegally spied on already call bullshit.
Spy scandals – today’s required reading
Written By: - Date published: 11:24 am, August 1st, 2013 - 72 comments
Here’s today’s required reading (so far) in the ongoing spy scandals that are swirling around John Key and his fiasco of a government. Hey Peter Dunne, are you really going to vote for more GCSB spying? Really?
This is Key’s scandal
Written By: - Date published: 12:49 pm, July 31st, 2013 - 64 comments
Key’s loyal retainers are trying to keep him out of the Vance spying scandal. Major players are straight-out lying. Sadly for Key, the evidence of the timeline is clear. This is his scandal, start to finish.
Reaction to housing policy
Written By: - Date published: 8:17 am, July 31st, 2013 - 134 comments
Labour will be pleased at the reaction to its Latest housing policy, from Vernon Small, John Armstrong and (knock me down with a feather) Colin Espiner. Opinion polling is also in favour.
John Banks and racism
Written By: - Date published: 7:35 am, July 30th, 2013 - 19 comments
At the moment there are plenty of racists trying to accuse Labour of racism. I might put together a post on the Iwi/Kwi Orewa Nats later on, but in the mean time I give you – John Banks.
Key explains the need to spy on us all
Written By: - Date published: 10:32 am, July 29th, 2013 - 28 comments
One of the many criticisms of John Key’s spying Bill is that it isn’t needed. Well rest easy citizens consumers, because PM Key has laid those fears to rest. Here he is, in his own words, explaining why this violation of our basic human rights is absolutely necessary.
Politically aligned or misinformed
Written By: - Date published: 8:03 am, July 29th, 2013 - 14 comments
On Thursday last week hundreds attended a public meeting in Mt Albert, and on Saturday thousands of people marched in 11 centers all round NZ to protest against John Key’s spying Bill. Key’s response? They are either “politically aligned” or “misinformed”. Like the Law Society and the Human Rights Commission, no doubt.
Labour’s new housing policy – Shearer on Q+A
Written By: - Date published: 9:27 am, July 28th, 2013 - 702 comments
David Shearer on Q+A just set out new policy on housing, proposing restrictions on overseas buyers. It’s another big policy move from Labour…
The Dunedin protest
Written By: - Date published: 4:33 pm, July 27th, 2013 - 18 comments
I haven’t seen many photos of the Dunedin anti GCSB Bill protest around, so here are a few of mine. 500 people in the Octagon. Best slogan: “Look in your own Key hole”.
Poverty Watch 41
Written By: - Date published: 12:31 pm, July 27th, 2013 - 3 comments
Welcome to Poverty Watch, a weekly update on National’s lack of response to the urgent and growing issue of poverty in NZ. This week, the NBR “rich list” and the sick joke of “trickle down” wealth.
Dotcom developments
Written By: - Date published: 7:31 am, July 26th, 2013 - 104 comments
The public trusts Kim Dotcom more than John Key (no surprise), and Journalist Selwyn Manning describes “some breaking news from Dotcom” on what Key knew, and when…
Beneficiary bashing crocodile tears
Written By: - Date published: 6:59 am, July 26th, 2013 - 144 comments
The Nats have created a beneficiary bashing culture so rigid and so nasty that crazy stuff happens. They cry some crocodile tears about it – but only for cases publicised by the media.
Labour stands by 6A
Written By: - Date published: 8:12 am, July 25th, 2013 - 97 comments
The Employment Relations Act Part 6A ensures that jobs are transferred to a new contractor, on the same terms, if a firm is restructured. Naturally the Nats plan to abolish it.
So what was Dunne’s price?
Written By: - Date published: 7:11 am, July 24th, 2013 - 112 comments
Peter Dunne said that the GCSB should not spy on New Zealanders “under any circumstances”, but he will now vote to let that happen. He has made himself a liar and a hypocrite. Why? 3 News and others speculate on what Dunne might have got in return. What was his price?
Wellington workers
Written By: - Date published: 6:52 am, July 23rd, 2013 - 28 comments
Let’s hope that workers’ rights and safety are protected in the wake of the Wellington quakes.
Big Brother comes to Kindy
Written By: - Date published: 2:10 pm, July 22nd, 2013 - 36 comments
The Nats used to make a career out of faux “nanny state” hysteria. Now they want to ID number and track beneficiaries’ kids in pre-school. Paul Little warns of “the surveillance state that we are becoming”.
Poverty Watch 40
Written By: - Date published: 9:09 am, July 20th, 2013 - 10 comments
Welcome to Poverty Watch, a weekly update on National’s lack of response to the urgent and growing issue of poverty in NZ. This week, poverty and educational outcomes.
Inequality: Fallow vs Rashbrooke
Written By: - Date published: 7:44 am, July 20th, 2013 - 139 comments
Yesterday The Herald ran two pieces on the latest Ministry of Social Development’s report on household income. They have very different conclusions – Brian Fallow’s Rising inequality largely a myth and Max Rashbrooke’s Rich get richer. The poor? Have a guess.  So who’s right?
No free speech at convention centre
Written By: - Date published: 8:30 am, July 19th, 2013 - 51 comments
National’s dirty deal with Sky City includes the right for the government to ban groups it doesn’t like from booking the convention centre.
Free speech. Use it or lose it.
Mixed news
Written By: - Date published: 6:48 am, July 19th, 2013 - 151 comments
The latest Roy Morgan poll is mixed news for the Left. A second high result for National, but Labour’s vote holding steady after difficult weeks.
Sick bastards
Written By: - Date published: 7:07 am, July 18th, 2013 - 69 comments
The Nats resent every cent spent on welfare. They want our consent to keep “culling” people off it as fast as they can. They hope that they can get our consent by re-framing New Zealand’s social safety-net as – quite literally – a dangerous addiction. It is a ludicrous framing, equivalent to blaming the bandage for the wound.
A tale of two housing policies
Written By: - Date published: 9:42 am, July 17th, 2013 - 48 comments
Houses are seriously unaffordable, especially for first-time buyers. Labour’s policy settings will help first-time buyers, the Reserve Bank under the current government is proposing tougher requirements that will make matters worse for them. Parties of the Left need to take this issue and run hard!
The truth makes them angry
Written By: - Date published: 8:37 am, July 17th, 2013 - 59 comments
A visiting Professor of Economics says he was bullied by Bill English when they met between their respective Q+A interviews. His crime was to point out that National are governing for the rich. Seems English can’t handle the truth.
Generation Zero: What’s the holdup?
Written By: - Date published: 9:20 am, July 16th, 2013 - 68 comments
The Generation Zero speaking tour kicked off last night to a packed house in Dunedin. Generation Zero are asking – “What’s the holdup?” Why is there no action on carbon emissions and climate change?
Defending democracy – then and now
Written By: - Date published: 8:32 am, July 15th, 2013 - 17 comments
There have been strong and compelling criticisms of the Nats’ spying Bill, similar to the situation that occurred under the previous government with electoral finance. But the responses of the two governments are very different – and very revealing. Where Labour revised its errant Bill to address the criticisms, John Key has threatened the HRC with funding cuts. Predictably, the response of The Herald to the two cases has been very different too…
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