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Herald shows gap narrowing

Written By: - Date published: 12:05 pm, July 1st, 2011 - 58 comments

The latest Herald poll shows Labour + Greens at 42.7%, with National + ACT at 53.1% – the gap is down to 10.4% from 16.9% in May. That confirms the trend we’re seeing in the Roy Morgans as well. Interesting to note that the gap is 17% this point before the last election. Continued progress and focus on the big issues will see victory for the Left.

Brash jumps the shark

Written By: - Date published: 6:58 pm, June 30th, 2011 - 54 comments

For anyone who had any faint remaining doubt, confirmation that Don Brash has completely lost it.

Actoids defend “get raped” comment

Written By: - Date published: 11:08 am, June 29th, 2011 - 38 comments

Some uni political hacks arguing, calling each other names, on Facebook is nothing new. The Actoid telling the Greenie to “get raped” was beyond the Pale. Don’t think we’ve ever had to delete a comment that bad here. But the response from ACT on Campus’s leadership has made it worse. Confirms the far Right’s fundamental misogyny.

On the crotch-clutcher Bob Clarkson

Written By: - Date published: 4:26 pm, June 1st, 2011 - 33 comments

Bob Clarkson is back into public politics. This time generously helping the Act Party. Long may this continue!

A Right Jackup

Written By: - Date published: 4:02 pm, May 30th, 2011 - 18 comments

So it appears that John Banks will get to face his mayoral campaign manager, Aaron Bhatnagar, as National candidate for Epsom. National will continue to ensure Act’s survival, as latest polls keep Act at about 2%.

Will ACT vote against the Budget?

Written By: - Date published: 8:46 am, May 16th, 2011 - 42 comments

Reading Don Brash’s letter to John Key and watching Roger Douglas on Q+A, I wonder if the Nats behind the takeover of ACT realised what they were unleashing. I’ve heard some talk that ACT won’t vote for Key’s Budget. Where would that leave Rodney Hide? Where would that leave the Maori Party? Could we see a snap election?

But you’ll distort the price signal!

Written By: - Date published: 11:50 am, May 10th, 2011 - 31 comments

ACT on Campus is giving away KFC Double Downs today. I love that ACToids are always complaining that interest-free student loans are a bad idea because they encourage wasteful, inefficient spending but think that giving out free heart-attack makers is perfectly sensible.By the way, isn’t this treating?

Caption Competition

Written By: - Date published: 12:50 pm, May 9th, 2011 - 63 comments

Dog eat dog on the extreme Right

Written By: - Date published: 12:57 pm, May 8th, 2011 - 46 comments

There’s a strange story in the Sunday Star-Times today. The premise is rumours that Don Brash has a love child but that seems to be baseless. The real point of the story is the Brash-ists trying to kill off Rodney Hide now, rather than wait until the election. I wouldn’t be surprised they’re behind the love-child story.

Helen Clark calling the shots

Written By: - Date published: 9:14 am, May 4th, 2011 - 19 comments

After a turbulent fortnight in politics, Helen Clark’s new look Green Party is now in place.

The same old answer

Written By: - Date published: 1:00 pm, May 3rd, 2011 - 27 comments

 

If Don Brash is the answer, what’s the question?

John Key’s shakey government

Written By: - Date published: 9:01 am, May 3rd, 2011 - 35 comments

The Nats have ‘soft-launched’ via Kiwiblog and Whaleoil that Rodney Hide and John Boscawen will both lose their portfolios and ACT will have no ministers. Farrar points out this will benefit ACT’s taxpayer funding to the tune of $130,000, which is somehow sweet while spending $500,000 on a by-election to get a mandate is a serious crime.

Armstrong on Brash+Key

Written By: - Date published: 9:57 am, April 30th, 2011 - 37 comments

John Armstrong doesn’t get much wrong in the assessment of the Brash take over.  Brash, with his Hollow Men legacy, anti-Maori posturing, and loony economic policies,  is very much Key’s problem now.

ACT: bought by the Nats for a song

Written By: - Date published: 7:12 am, April 29th, 2011 - 123 comments

The Left are rubbing our hands with glee at the prospect of taking on BrashKey, but make no mistake, Key wanted this coup too. Think about it: former Nat Leader Don Brash, former Nat Minister John Banks, Nat money man Alan Gibbs, former Nat President Michelle Boag – and it goes down while John Key is far away playing smile and wave in Europe.

National lines ruined…

Written By: - Date published: 4:22 pm, April 28th, 2011 - 64 comments

Some National memes that they’ve been running against the opposition parties are somewhat ruined by A Brash Act…

Brash new world

Written By: - Date published: 1:51 pm, April 28th, 2011 - 49 comments

So, just as Irish predicted, Calvert was the swinging voter, and Brash has now achieved his hostile takeover of ACT.  Goodbye Rodney, and good riddance. What does this do to the political landscape?  Here are some preliminary thoughts.

Hide gone by lunchtime

Written By: - Date published: 12:15 pm, April 28th, 2011 - 174 comments

Rodney Hide has resigned as Leader of the ACT Party.

While not actually a member of the Party, Don Brash will now lead ACT.

Calvert switches support to Brash

Written By: - Date published: 8:00 am, April 28th, 2011 - 77 comments

ACT’s newest MP Hilary Calvert is reported to have changed her support from Hide to Brash. That means the leadership of New Zealand’s most rightwing party will transfer to someone who isn’t currently even a member of the ACT Party.

UPDATE: Hide expected to announce resignation at midday

Blanket Man to make bid for ACT leadership

Written By: - Date published: 7:09 am, April 28th, 2011 - 15 comments

Ben ‘Blanket Man’ Hana has thrown his loin cloth into the contest for ACT’s leadership. Despite not having any political experience, Blanket Man says he is the man for the job due to his firm commitment to laissez-faire economics, his excellent face recognition, and the virtue that he is not a tired, old, has-been, racist arsehole.

What next for Rodney?

Written By: - Date published: 12:15 pm, April 27th, 2011 - 26 comments

ACT Leader Rodney Hide will soon be out of a job. I doubt he’ll be in the running for any prime SOE chairs like Jim Bolger, and all the best jobs at the UN are taken by competent people. Jenny Shipley went in to the HR business and Mike Moore became a WTO lapdog.

So what next for Rodney?

Caption Contest

Written By: - Date published: 12:30 pm, April 26th, 2011 - 36 comments

The Mana Party & the Money Party

Written By: - Date published: 12:13 pm, April 25th, 2011 - 48 comments

Hone Harawira is set to launch his Mana Party next weekend, possibly triggering a by-election in Te Tai Tokerau at the same time. At the other end of the spectrum, Don Brash’s haphazard to take over ACT may actually just be casus belli for him to establish a New Right Party.

Nats try to warn off Brash

Written By: - Date published: 10:27 am, April 24th, 2011 - 79 comments

Tweedledum and Tweedledee were a bit slow off the mark responding to the news that Don Brash is looking to take over ACT. Took the Nats a while to get their lines together but have decided, on balance, they want ACT dead. And that will be a lot easier to achieve if Brash isn’t in charge.

Brash to roll Hide?

Written By: - Date published: 8:29 am, April 23rd, 2011 - 100 comments

Brash has thrown his hat in the ring for ACT’s leadership.

If the best the far right can do is a failed National MP warmed over then things are looking up.

Epsom a done deal

Written By: - Date published: 2:57 pm, April 19th, 2011 - 43 comments

Recently Irish Bill wrote on the Nats’ dilemma in Epsom.  Looks the deal is now done, and predictably Key has decided that he needs ACT’s numbers (however small).

Rodney (still) wrecking the wacky party

Written By: - Date published: 3:41 pm, April 14th, 2011 - 13 comments

You almost have to admire Rodney Hide for his total contempt for political reality. He has managed to annoy aged GoldCard users with his comments on their off-peak free use of public transport. There’s also a horrible irony in Hide opposing publicly funded transport for people who aren’t him or his girlfriend.

The racist party

Written By: - Date published: 12:57 pm, March 15th, 2011 - 93 comments

3-time election loser Don Brash spoke at the ACT conference on the weekend. It was an attempt to revive the Owera days with an anti-Maori speech. When he made a ‘they don’t know how lucky they are’ reference to how Australians used to “shoot the natives”, a ACT member yelled “bring that back” and the audience laughed.

What do you think Righty – a perfect score?

Written By: - Date published: 1:30 pm, February 17th, 2011 - 50 comments

Even the most optimistic lefty can’t deny that National are continuing to dominate the opinion polls. That must be quite a source of pride and confidence for the Right. But I wonder, is there anything that rightwing voters believe this National-led Government has done wrong? A couple of years ago I asked what rightwing voters thought […]

New Right Party?

Written By: - Date published: 10:11 pm, February 13th, 2011 - 6 comments

There’s a somewhat fact-free article today on the possible challenge of a new “centre-right” party in Epsom.  Whilst an interesting possible development, there’s no substance as to who’s behind the party or any credentials.  The most we get is that John Banks has heard a rumour. Presumably there’s more to the story, does anyone have […]

Student freedom

Written By: - Date published: 8:34 am, December 22nd, 2010 - 109 comments

National and Act are attacking student unions.  The cover story is freedom of association, but it’s bollocks, freedom of association is already protected.  Without the unions students will still have to pay.  But they will lose the rich social and cultural heritage of the unions, lose the learning experiences that the unions provide, and lose their independence.  Hey students – does that sound like a good deal to you?

NIWA vs the nutters

Written By: - Date published: 7:32 am, December 19th, 2010 - 19 comments

NIWA has had some of their data, methodology, and results checked by the aussies. As expected by anyone who knows something about the subject, they came back with substantially the same result. For the others like the nutters at the CSC and their political allies – well I can just see another conspiracy theory arising…

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