Author Archive

See what happens when you put a woman in charge?

Written By: - Date published: 7:41 am, November 24th, 2021 - 120 comments

Remarkably low Covid death and infection rates, good and improving vaccination rates, low unemployment and debt to GDP …

Stop being a dick Barry

Written By: - Date published: 7:31 am, November 23rd, 2021 - 54 comments

At yesterday’s post Cabinet Press Conference Barry Soper overtalked a number of reporters, demanded answers to his questions, and then stormed out of the press conference.  And then immediately wrote a piece accusing Jacinda Ardern of overtalking reporters …

Astroturfers of the world unite

Written By: - Date published: 9:14 am, November 20th, 2021 - 52 comments

Two days before what is claimed will be the mother of all protests links between the Groundswell organisation and the Taxpayers Union have been discovered.

National is being utterly irresponsible

Written By: - Date published: 7:46 am, November 19th, 2021 - 58 comments

In the middle of a pandemic where the numbers in hospital are increasing and a number of Kiwis have died from a virus that is spreading promising the loosening of current restrictions is the most irresponsible, stupid, foolhardy, idiotic, imbecile thing I could ever expect a political party to do.

Down the rabbit hole

Written By: - Date published: 8:17 am, November 17th, 2021 - 83 comments

Former National MP and University Lecturer Simon Thornley are in the news after publishing a video interview questioning the effectiveness of the Covid vaccine and suggesting that the evidence that Ivermectin is useful in treating Covid is epidemiologically sound and strong.

How Covid may play out

Written By: - Date published: 8:41 am, November 15th, 2021 - 74 comments

Modelling produced for the Government suggests that weekly new covid infections  could plateau in the next two weeks.  And the modelling so far has been remarkable accurate.

Covid and the latest polls

Written By: - Date published: 8:13 am, November 12th, 2021 - 148 comments

The results of two polls were leaked recently both showing a drop in support for Labour.  Clearly the Delta outbreak has rattled confidence.  But National has not surged up in support and the Greens have picked up some of the former Labour vote.

Shock horror, Ardern chooses to keeps her mask on

Written By: - Date published: 9:37 am, November 11th, 2021 - 79 comments

Barry Soper has accused the Prime Minister of, wait for this, not taking her mask off when she was inside visiting a vaccination centre in South Auckland.

The Freedumb Protesters give protesting a bad name

Written By: - Date published: 8:43 am, November 10th, 2021 - 58 comments

As a principle the right to protest is important.  But the freedumb protesters making outlandish claims and at the same time plagarizing the language of progressive protest movements deserves to be called out.

Cuba’s covid response

Written By: - Date published: 7:49 am, November 9th, 2021 - 114 comments

Well paint me red and call me Joseph Stalin.  Cuba has not only developed its own Covid vaccines but it has vaccinated pretty well all of its people and driven back a Covid Delta outbreak that was threatening the island.

The Labour Conference

Written By: - Date published: 8:04 am, November 6th, 2021 - 50 comments

Labour is this year holding its Conference on line.  There will be some attention on a proposal to allow a supermajority of Caucus to avoid members and affiliates from having a say in a future Parliamentary leader.

Even China is struggling with Delta

Written By: - Date published: 8:37 am, November 3rd, 2021 - 8 comments

China, which has previously successfully suppressed the Covid virus, is struggling with a delta outbreak.  And questions are being asked if suppression is still viable.

We are all in this together

Written By: - Date published: 10:02 am, November 2nd, 2021 - 206 comments

Increasing levels of angst at the current lockdown can be related to privilege.

The Entrust election debacle

Written By: - Date published: 10:43 am, October 31st, 2021 - 56 comments

National aligned C&R has shown how bad it is at running elections by running an election where less than one in ten eligible people voted.

The Covid vaccine rollout

Written By: - Date published: 10:48 am, October 30th, 2021 - 185 comments

Matt Nippert’s in depth article in the Herald this morning provides a well researched deep insight into the Government’s vaccine roll out.  And as it progresses the New Zealand response places us mid table and improving in the OECD vaccination comparison and gives us some hope that the Delta outbreak may be controlled.

ANZ Bank clearly believes that greed is good

Written By: - Date published: 9:00 am, October 29th, 2021 - 131 comments

ANZ Bank has  just announced a $1.92 billion profit for the year to September 30, 2021.  This is about 1% of the nation’s Gross Domestic Product.

Auckland Light rail options released

Written By: - Date published: 8:09 am, October 29th, 2021 - 23 comments

Construction of light rail in Auckland, proposed 50 years ago by former Mayor Dove Myer Robinson, is now a step close with the release of working group recommendations for options of a light rail line running between the city centre and the Airport.

Why vaccine mandates are needed

Written By: - Date published: 9:07 am, October 27th, 2021 - 165 comments

The Government has announced vaccine mandates for some publicly facing businesses designed to help minimise the spread of a virus that has killed millions of people world wide.

Won’t someone think of the business owners?

Written By: - Date published: 12:04 pm, October 24th, 2021 - 174 comments

This week Judith Collins was reported to be close to tears.  But not about the possibility of a significant number of deaths but by the prospect of business closures.

National’s plan – open and be damned

Written By: - Date published: 9:43 am, October 21st, 2021 - 71 comments

Yesterday National released what feels like take 16 of its Covid response plan, this one focussing on business interests and setting a hard timeline for reopening.  But getting significant details wrong and rehashing failed policies previously tried in England has dampened its effect.

Slater smears again

Written By: - Date published: 8:33 am, October 18th, 2021 - 104 comments

The Herald’s publication of an attack on Ardern by a wedding venue owner appears to have been sourced from Cameron Slater and brings into stark relief the Herald’s twin business model of funding serious journalism by both subscriptions and the use of click bait.

Don’t be lax, get your vax

Written By: - Date published: 10:07 am, October 16th, 2021 - 43 comments

Posted for the big drive today for vaccinations for news and comments.  Image borrowed from Waipareira who are doing great work out west.

Time for Auckland to go back to level four?

Written By: - Date published: 7:55 am, October 15th, 2021 - 114 comments

With daily Covid infection rates in Tamaki Makaurau increasing it may be time for the Government to consider a short sharp lockdown to try and arrest this increase and to let vaccination rates improve.

Goudie blunders again

Written By: - Date published: 8:46 am, October 14th, 2021 - 176 comments

Thames Coromandel mayor Sandra Goudie who previously admitted not scanning where she goes has been at it again, this time stating that the Pfeizer vaccine is not good enough for her and she will be waiting for the Novovax vaccine to be available before she gets vaccinated.

David Seymour is all class

Written By: - Date published: 8:35 am, October 12th, 2021 - 71 comments

David Seymour suggested that suburbs where the vaccination rate hit 90% should be allowed extra freedom.  But an analysis suggests that the wealthiest parts of Auckland, including Remuera and Epsom would qualify, whereas the poorer parts of Auckland would struggle to qualify.

Covid D day

Written By: - Date published: 8:38 am, October 11th, 2021 - 159 comments

Some big decisions are due to happen today.  What happens to Auckland’s Covid status?  Should the lockdown level be reduced or should the Government think about putting it back up?

Chevron v Donziger

Written By: - Date published: 10:48 am, October 9th, 2021 - 12 comments

Despite spending over two years on home detention Attorney Steven Donziger, who successfully sued Chevron for the environmental carnage caused by its activities in Ecuador, was sentenced to the maximum jail time for refusing to hand over devices containing confidential client information protected by attorney client privilege in a prosecution mounted by lawyers with Chevron links before a pro Oil industry Judge.

Right now Sonny Fatupaito is an essential worker

Written By: - Date published: 8:28 am, October 6th, 2021 - 125 comments

News that the head of Waikato’s Mongrel Mob chapter was given an essential workers exemption to travel to and around Auckland recently has attracted derision from the usual quarters.  But right now Sonny Fatupaito’s help is essential.

Who are these angry Aucklanders?

Written By: - Date published: 10:31 am, October 3rd, 2021 - 243 comments

This weekend there have been two attempts to undermine the current Auckland Covid lock down.  Brian Tamaki’s was not the most ludicrous.

Goodbye Gladys

Written By: - Date published: 11:20 am, October 2nd, 2021 - 41 comments

Mike Hosking’s go to female Politician Gladys Berejiklian has resigned in disgrace after the Independent Commission against Corruption announced a formal inquiry into her involvement in preferential grants given to organisations in her former boyfriend’s seat from which it is alleged he attempted to receive a commission.

Covid does not give a fuck about your plans

Written By: - Date published: 11:20 am, September 30th, 2021 - 31 comments

This week we have seen reckons from John Key, Act and National on how we should be loosening up Covid lockdown restrictions.  Yesterday’s 45 new cases shows how dangerous it is to think that dealing with Covid is a simple management exercise.