Author Archive

National’s politicisation of Covid over the past two years

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 9:07 am, March 21st, 2022 - 34 comments

A slightly deeper review of National’s response to the Covid epidemic over the past two years. The overwhelming impression is that they have always complained about supposed Government incompetence in handling the pandemic and have always argued for the loosening of restrictions no matter how justifiable.

The difference between Labour and National

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 9:05 am, March 17th, 2022 - 141 comments

There has been the occasional criticism of Labour for not achieving enough progressive change by people who then propose supporting National. What are they thinking?

The Tauranga by election

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 7:55 am, March 16th, 2022 - 67 comments

By elections are at the best of times dramatic events. Given current circumstances and a well funded although deeply unpopular anti vaccine movement and the likely candidacy of Winston Peters the Tauranga by election is likely to be a circus.

See you later Simon

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 12:13 pm, March 15th, 2022 - 40 comments

Simon Bridges has just announced that he is retiring from politics.

The empire strikes back

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 8:53 am, March 15th, 2022 - 146 comments

Labour’s announcement of a temporary reduction in fuel excise duties and a halving of public transport fares ups the ante on the debate on how to alleviate hardship caused by overseas induced inflation.

National’s advice to the poor – you are on your own

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 8:11 am, March 13th, 2022 - 125 comments

To help the poorest amongst us during the current times of International hyper inflation National has come up with a list of tips to help them. But no money.

National stuffs up its financial analysis – again

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 1:42 pm, March 9th, 2022 - 79 comments

For so called economic geniuses National sure struggles to understand how to properly cost fiscal policy. Its latest response to news that it proposed tax cuts would wipe out all discretionary spending in its first budget is to fudge the dates on which the cuts would be made.

National’s tax policy

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 8:14 am, March 7th, 2022 - 107 comments

National has proposed to reverse all tax changes implemented by Labour and claims that the cuts can be managed without damage to the state. But the figure it uses, $1.7 billion a year, includes income tax adjustments only and not the cost of the removal of other taxes.

This is awkward

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 7:51 am, March 6th, 2022 - 85 comments

Chris Luxon’s public commitment not to negotiate with the Wellington protestors has been called into question by a Facebook from Maureen Pugh claiming that members of the National Party were talking to the protesters on an almost daily basis.

Real protestors do not burn kids playgrounds

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 8:10 am, March 4th, 2022 - 239 comments

Wellington protestors recent activities in torching a 100 year old Pohutukawa, burning a kid’s playground and threatening to occupy Wainuiomata Marae suggests they are being given PR advice by Vladimir Putin.

Two years of living dangerously

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 1:53 pm, March 1st, 2022 - 75 comments

Yesterday marked the second anniversary of the first Covid case in New Zealand. What a time it has been.

Putin threatens Nuclear War

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 8:27 am, February 28th, 2022 - 254 comments

Vladimir Putin, obviously hurting because some of his personal ill gotten wealth has been frozen has upped the ante by raising the spectre of the use of Nuclear Weapons.

The difference between the Wellington protests and the pro Ukraine protests in Russia

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 7:59 am, February 26th, 2022 - 76 comments

Currently in this world there are two significant protests occurring, both similar but at the same time completely different.

Free public transport for Auckland is a very good idea

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 1:35 pm, February 23rd, 2022 - 66 comments

Efeso Collins has announced his first Mayoral campaign policy and it is a biggie, free public transport for Auckland.

Everyone is over Covid

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 8:46 am, February 22nd, 2022 - 134 comments

Jacinda Ardern said yesterday that everyone is over Covid. She is right. We all want this to end.

Why negotiating with the Wellington protesters is a waste of time

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 8:17 am, February 21st, 2022 - 277 comments

There is something of a manufactured chorus of calls for the Government to sit down and negotiate with the protesters. Here are four reasons why negotiations would be a complete waste of time.

Why the Wellington protestors are wrong

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 10:52 am, February 20th, 2022 - 72 comments

The Wellington protest has exceeded any moral mandate to protest.

Why haven’t the police acted?

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 8:30 am, February 18th, 2022 - 474 comments

It is day 10 of the Anti vax protest on Parliament’s grounds. More cars are being parked illegally and despite considerable disruption to Wellington’s roading network so far not one car has been towed by the police.

What does the right to protest actually mean?

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 12:30 pm, February 16th, 2022 - 62 comments

A primer on the “right to protest”. Contrary to the views of some there is no right to protest. Instead there are rights of assembly, movement and a right to freedom of speech. And there is no absolute right to do these things at Parliament.

The difference between Black Lives Matter and the Anti Mandate protest

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 9:36 am, February 15th, 2022 - 57 comments

Claims that local Black Lives Matter protests and the Anti Covid mandate protest are different examples of the same thing appear to be very overstated.

Goff retiring as super city mayor

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 11:04 am, February 14th, 2022 - 52 comments

Phil Goff has announced that he will not seek re-election as Auckland’s Mayor.

The right to protest

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 10:05 am, February 13th, 2022 - 131 comments

Complaints that the police are unnecessarily interfering with the Wellington Convoy’s right to protest appear to be vastly overstated.

Freakin useless

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 2:58 pm, February 10th, 2022 - 114 comments

Maureen Pugh has posted a post on facebook supporting the Wellington protestors, deleted it when it was pointed out to her the protestors were anti vaccination, and then claimed she did not realise many of the protesters were against Covid-19 vaccination.

Luxon under pressure after latest Newshub Poll

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 10:08 pm, February 7th, 2022 - 93 comments

I am going to channel my Matthew Hooton left wing alter ego in the writing of this post. The latest Newshub poll shows a resounding level of support for the Labour Party and there are murmurs of discontent about Chris Luxon after support for the right plummets.