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One true lesson about the Tony Veitch affair

Written By: - Date published: 7:32 pm, July 13th, 2008 - 57 comments

It seems that everyone’s commenting right now on Tony Veitch. The various slants by the different commentators, on the same sordid matter seem largely to come down to which ‘camp’ you started from, although not exclusively I presume that Mathew Ridge regarded Veitch as a mate before the saga emerged. There are of course those […]

The Key Problem

Written By: - Date published: 1:23 pm, March 16th, 2008 - 8 comments

The somewhat irregular and frequently misguided Chris Trotter occasionally hits it on-the-head. Today’s Sunday Star Times has Trotter running over John Key’s inability to take the heat when it comes to hard questioning. And he further notes that National will be concerned that their man will not stand up to the debates later in the […]

Hutch back on Sunrise

Written By: - Date published: 9:09 am, February 18th, 2008 - 24 comments

Mike Hutcheson has somehow made another appearance, this morning, on TV3’s Sunrise programme. This is the guy who told viewers late last year that New Zealand’s problems were caused by a “girltocracy” – presumably a reference to too many women running things for Hutch’s liking. This morning he offered up some obscure research apparently showing […]

The best of The Standard in 2007

Written By: - Date published: 10:22 am, December 28th, 2007 - 39 comments

As we contemplate a bad year in the polls for Labour, the signs are pointing to National cruising onto victory in 2008. Or are they? Labour’s mistake may have been that it assumed a booming economy would be enough to carry the day, given that its credentials for a social agenda will always leave National […]

A New Year’s wish

Written By: - Date published: 7:23 am, December 26th, 2007 - 35 comments

As a kid growing up in the countryside I recall being startled by the realisation that there were people in the world who had never seen a farm animal of any description. How one-dimensional and narrow their view of the world must be, I thought. Another aspect of life in rural New Zealand, which I […]

The Hutch

Written By: - Date published: 9:59 pm, December 23rd, 2007 - 35 comments

One morning last week I stumbled upon TV3’s early morning Sunrise programme. It’s a bright and cheery little show providing an easier alternative to Paul Henry’s more acerbic version on TV One. The breezy presenters occasionally host a couple of people called the ‘All-Stars’ and on this particular morning one of the guests was Mike […]

Memo to all National Party staffers:

Written By: - Date published: 12:15 pm, December 13th, 2007 - 1 comment

Listen up guys and campers, there are some disturbing bits of info coming back from our ‘plants’ in the media world, including David F. I realise that the Labour govt are stuffing up to such big-time that I understand a little over-confidence is creeping in to our ranks. We don’t want anyone thinking that we […]

Sweden catches the Key desease

Written By: - Date published: 3:38 pm, October 19th, 2007 - 6 comments

I know there is occasionally talk in New Zealand about “becoming the Sweden of the South Pacific” but this may just have us thinking again. A website under the name ‘The Local – Sweden’s News in English’ headlines ‘No conflict in Iraq,’ says Swedish court. Apparently Sweden’s Migration Court has turned down calls from a […]

Hollow Man v Shallow Man

Written By: - Date published: 3:00 pm, October 14th, 2007 - 61 comments

Nicky Hager’s book, The Hollow Men in many respects contains no great revelation to those who have witnessed National Party politicians’ behaviour over the years. The major differentiator between Labour and National has always been that Labour is an inclusive party with fundamental values based on supporting a greater number of people. National on the […]

The war is not over for the children

Written By: - Date published: 5:18 pm, October 11th, 2007 - 26 comments

For people visiting www.thewariniraqisnotover.com, I am tempted to add another requirement for those feeling genuinely outraged at John Key’s statement on the war in Iraq. Make a donation to the Save the Children Fund and demonstrate some practical support for the bad state of affairs in that sad country. In May 2003, the Save the […]

Iraq is over & it should never have started.

Written By: - Date published: 8:27 pm, October 8th, 2007 - Comments Off on Iraq is over & it should never have started.

I recently encountered an old ‘friend’ I’d not seen in a while. “Mugg he murmured. What a fiasco those Yanks are in over there in Iraq.” “Dead right I responded. The trouble is [mate] it’s the entire world that’s in the crap now!” And he agreed with a solemn nod. Then I couldn’t resist it. […]

A black heart at the Real Estate Institute

Written By: - Date published: 2:36 pm, October 4th, 2007 - Comments Off on A black heart at the Real Estate Institute

I thought I’d dive in with a little post on another subject.just to give John Key a small respite from single-handedly ending the war in Iraq. It seems that the Real Estate Institute, that great business body charged by its members with protecting the interests of.well its members, has taken The Joneses real estate company […]

All Black is New Zealand

Written By: - Date published: 3:32 pm, September 22nd, 2007 - 5 comments

Symbolism should never be underestimated in life, as it can’t be in sport and politics. Take the Rugby World Cup where the symbolism of the All Blacks has prompted many New Zealanders to scornfully view the French team’s sudden change of playing strip to dark blue. Sacrebleu, what’s going on? This means that, if the […]

Answer this question and get FREE movie tickets

Written By: - Date published: 5:22 pm, September 21st, 2007 - 10 comments

The Labour Government is stuffing up. They can’t find the right words to describe John Key and the National Party. Because of that they are the architects of their own making with a clear sign that the electorate has become bored with Labour’s big words whilst not appreciating what National and John Key are all […]

English agrees with Labour on climate change

Written By: - Date published: 6:09 pm, September 20th, 2007 - 12 comments

What the hell’s going on? This press release from Bill English today under the heading “Emissions Regime Proposal Looks Sound”: It goes on to say; “National Party Deputy Leader Bill English says the climate change framework announced by the Government today is in line with National’s proposals in this area”. Please, please, does anyone imagine […]

Will this man do anything, for any party, anytime?

Written By: - Date published: 2:31 pm, September 18th, 2007 - 2 comments

National’s ad campaign in 2005 was assisted by the creative wit of John Ansell a self-described “wordplaying loon”. Nicky Hager’s ‘The Hollow Men & a study in the politics of deception’ drew attention to Ansell when it described in some detail his cozying up to Don Brash to get the chance at a hatchet job […]

Is the world voting for.nothing?

Written By: - Date published: 10:23 pm, September 16th, 2007 - 1 comment

In a perceptive potshot at the perennial broadcasting gnome, Paul Holmes, Jane Bowron in her Dominion Post ‘Televiews’ piece of 13 September described the aforementioned wee fella’s return to TV One with Whatever happen to.? in unflattering terms. It seems that Bowron is unimpressed by Holmes parading a level of opportunism and shallowness, having returned […]

George W Key on Iraq

Written By: - Date published: 8:43 am, August 25th, 2007 - Comments Off on George W Key on Iraq

This blog offers up many opinions, but here’s a fact. John Key said in 2003 to the Rodney Times “New Zealand troops should be alongside their British and United States allies as they continue their invasion of Iraq”. Here’s another fact. George W Bush would agree with Key. Like Key, George has trouble with the […]

John Key is sick, just sick of eating pies

Written By: - Date published: 6:48 pm, August 20th, 2007 - Comments Off on John Key is sick, just sick of eating pies

Don’t ever underestimate a wounded National leader. John Key is smarting over his National Party Conference Speech. What’s his problem? To begin, he’s not happy that few people, even the party faithful at conference, didn’t buy into his rewriting of New Zealand’s political history. Here’s a sample: “Back in 1936, when Labour was concerned with […]

Trotter on the Key man

Written By: - Date published: 11:18 pm, August 19th, 2007 - Comments Off on Trotter on the Key man

Chris Trotter’s article last week in the Independent is worth a read & when I find a link I’ll provide it. Trotter says that John Key’s disastrous speech to the National Party Conference puts an end to Key’s honeymoon with the voters. It’s worse than that. The National Party strategy is based on keeping Key […]

More golf with John

Written By: - Date published: 5:48 pm, August 17th, 2007 - 1 comment

John Key is not a good golfer, at least not in my imaginings. Lovely practice swings, but very, very, poor execution. “Just a big showpony” muttered one of the playing party after just a short time on the course. Bill English, on the other hand is a good golfer, in an agricultural sort of way. […]

Key plays a Big Bertha off a par 3

Written By: - Date published: 5:17 pm, August 16th, 2007 - 3 comments

Use your imagination for a moment; John Key playing a round of golf with some new mates. Well, the first time we did this was on the lush fairways of the Helensville Golf Club. He introduced himself with a firm handshake and impressed everyone with his telegenic good-looks and eye-contact. The conversation quickly moved to […]

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