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One of these things is not like the other IX

Written By: - Date published: 7:30 am, November 8th, 2009 - 35 comments

One of these things is not like the other, One of these things is not quite the same… Can you guess which one is not like the other, Can you tell me before I finish the game?

Oh Dear. Buster Perky hits the canvass again

Written By: - Date published: 7:24 am, November 7th, 2009 - 8 comments

Hypocrisy is such a difficult tag to shake in NZ politics. After blowing $50,000 of tax payer money on a trip with his girlfriend to visit her brother and wander around Disneyland, it seems like Rodney Hide has been caught yet again pilfering public funds to help with his romantic chances, this time another $10,000 […]

Act as we say, not as we do

Written By: - Date published: 2:43 pm, November 6th, 2009 - 31 comments

Hide shoots the messenger

Written By: - Date published: 8:00 am, November 6th, 2009 - 18 comments

Hide says his comment that Key “doesn’t do anything” was “taken out of context” by the reporter. It’s a direct attack on van Beyan’s professionalism. Reminiscent of Key’s smears after his “we would love to see wages drop” quoted was reported.  Van Beyan should stand up for himself and his profession by releasing his full notes […]

Key “doesn’t do anything” – Hide

Written By: - Date published: 8:57 am, November 5th, 2009 - 45 comments

It took a few cocktails to loosen Bill English’s tongue when he thought he was among friends. Rodney Hide just needed his coco pops. At his highly dubious ministerial function/ACT fundraiser breakfast*, Hide told his table that John Key “doesn’t do anything”. The only ‘achievement’ by Key that Hide could identify was the cycleway, which, […]

It’s wrong but I’ll do it anyway

Written By: - Date published: 12:00 pm, November 3rd, 2009 - 24 comments

Just saw this in the SST. Hide on the spousal travel allowance: This perk is wrong, I’ve never agreed with it So why claim it? If you don’t think it’s right, it’s not ethical to do it. ‘Meat is murder, but as you’ve killed the animals anyway…’ I had the opportunity for this trip and […]

Taxpayer foots bill for Hide’s fundraising

Written By: - Date published: 11:06 am, October 27th, 2009 - 12 comments

Norightturn reports that taxpayers are footing the bill for Rodney Hide’s fundraising trip to Christchurch: Thanks to some clever scheduling, we’re effectively footing the bill for Hide’s attendance at his little fundraiser. And we simply shouldn’t be. The Ministerial travel budget is to pay for travel as part of Ministerial duties – not for Ministers […]

Roy makes hash of Breakfast-gate cover-up

Written By: - Date published: 12:00 pm, October 23rd, 2009 - 29 comments

In an interview on Morning Report today, ACT’s Heather Roy tries to defend her involvement in the Breakfast-gate scams. She says it’s all the organisers’ fault. A typical blame the staff play. The fact is that Roy would have been asked what she wanted to speak about and she chose to do it on her […]

Roy joins in Hide’s Breakfast-gate scam

Written By: - Date published: 8:15 pm, October 22nd, 2009 - 19 comments

Question Time and media reports have revealed more on Hide’s ministerial-speeches-for-party-donations scam (as you know, every political scandal needs a ‘-gate’. I like Breakfast-gate). Hon Annette King: Does he expect all his Ministers to comply with paragraph 2.54 of the Cabinet Manual, which states: ‘accepting additional payment for doing anything that could be regarded as a ministerial function […]

Hide falls foul of Cabinet Manual

Written By: - Date published: 11:30 am, October 22nd, 2009 - 52 comments

The Cabinet Manual details the basic expectations of ministerial conduct. It is not law but it would be highly irregular for a minister to breach the Manual and keep their job. And, unlike the law, just because something is not expressly banned does not mean it’s OK. Here’s some provisions of relevance to Hide’s speeches for donations: […]

More dodgy fundraising by ACT

Written By: - Date published: 8:54 am, October 22nd, 2009 - 13 comments

The ever industrious No Right Turn has turned up more dodgy fundraising practices by ACT. Last month, three ACT MPs held what was billed as “a forum” on “the hard questions – and some answers” at the plush Mecure Leisure Lodge in Dunedin. Three strikes, VSM, local government, and smacking were discussed. People were invited […]

Hide flounders in effort to cover corruption

Written By: - Date published: 6:18 am, October 22nd, 2009 - 5 comments

Rodney Hide was always going to go one of two ways to try to excuse his corrupt abuse of office. Remember the facts: Hide is Local Government Minister. He will be speaking at a breakfast on Local Government issues. The breakfast is called ‘The Future of Local Government’ and the invitation promises attendees that “Minister […]

Hide’s invitation to corrupt fundraiser

Written By: - Date published: 10:00 am, October 21st, 2009 - 74 comments

Click here for a PDF of Local Government Minister Rodney Hide’s invitation to local government stakeholders to a breakfast speech titled “The Future of Local Government”. This speech by the Minister to stakeholders is doubling as an ACT fundraiser. If you want to hear your Minister for Local Government speak, you will have to make a […]

Hide’s corrupt abuse of office

Written By: - Date published: 6:31 am, October 21st, 2009 - 67 comments

Another government minister has been caught in corrupt behaviour, and this is arguably the worst of the lot. Rodney Hide is speaking at a breakfast in Christchurch next month. He will be speaking as minister and on his portfolio – Local Government. Local government officials have been invited to hear him. Hide is charging $45 […]

Understanding political behaviour

Written By: - Date published: 11:30 am, September 22nd, 2009 - 34 comments

It seems political scientists could learn a thing or two from anthropologists after all. “Neanderthals were not the gentle, almost-human creatures portrayed in the media over the last 50 years…“ No surprises there mate.

Lyndon on ACT

Written By: - Date published: 12:00 pm, September 18th, 2009 - 19 comments

Found this gem at Fighting Talk. Lyndon Hood examines the act of leaking. Lyndon Hood: Act Doesn’t Feel Climate Heat Click to enlarge The Act party, in their minority report on the recent review of the emissions trading scheme, have argued that man-made global warming should not be considered a threat. Because they know better. […]

Those pesky boundaries for Auckland

Written By: - Date published: 3:23 pm, September 12th, 2009 - 31 comments

There are a couple of things that I hadn’t realised about the rather strange changes to the Auckland super-city boundaries. They are just weird and show a strange idea of what Auckland. About 50% of Auckland’s water comes from the Hunua’s. Surely the provision of fresh water is a “core service” of local bodies. Sure […]

“Science”

Written By: - Date published: 1:30 pm, September 1st, 2009 - 51 comments

ACT Party Press Release 1/4/2010: ACT has now identified the number one threat to personal freedom, to unbounded economic growth and to vast wealth for all who deserve it. It is “science”. “Science” creates nothing but trouble. “Science” causes climate change. The essence of the matter is that New Zealanders are being asked to cut […]

Basher bill puts pressure on Key

Written By: - Date published: 2:13 pm, August 26th, 2009 - 104 comments

John Boscawen’s private members’ bill to amend s59 of the Crimes Act has been drawn from the ballot. Essentially it would take us back to square one in the smacking/child assault issue. The bill would allow parents and adults to assault* children for the purposes of correction as long as the level of the force […]

Herald calls win for Hide

Written By: - Date published: 10:16 am, August 24th, 2009 - 43 comments

The Herald has an exclusive claiming that National will go with ACT and reject the Maori Party over the issue of Maori seats on the Auckland supercity council. The Herald doesn’t present any rock solid evidence to back up this claim but it’s pretty obvious that’s the way National will go. Creating Maori seats in […]

Will Key go with Hide or Maori Party?

Written By: - Date published: 9:40 am, August 23rd, 2009 - 12 comments

The issue of Maori seats on the supercity council has inevitably exposed the contradictions inherent in this government. The Maori party wants ’em. ACT won’t agree. Which way will Key go? With Hide. Why? Because Hide’s the only willing to hurt the government to get what he wants. Hide says he’ll resign as minister. It’s […]

Hide would go for principles, Sharples would stay for baubles

Written By: - Date published: 10:05 am, August 21st, 2009 - 24 comments

Rodney Hide has said that having Maori seats on the Auckland Supercity council would go completely against his party’s principles. So, he would refuse to be the Minister of Local Government taking a Bill through the House that includes Maori seats on the Supercity. He would resign from his portfolios and vote against the legislation. […]

Not yours to sell

Written By: - Date published: 6:46 pm, August 16th, 2009 - 28 comments

This video from Phil Twyford, Labour’s spokesperson on the campaign to make sure that Rodney Hide is prevented from buggering Auckland by selling critical assets to his mates in the business community so they can raise prices, diminish maintenance, stop capacity building, and make more profits for themselves. Given the history of natural monopoly privatizations […]

Flogging our future

Written By: - Date published: 9:18 am, August 6th, 2009 - 18 comments

Hot Topic has very interesting post up about how Act took a sudden interest in climate change denial after they received $100k from prominent climate change denier Alan Gibbs. As Gareth at HT points out: Hide’s repositioning coincided with a major donation to ACT by Alan Gibbs, a wealthy NZ businessman best known here for […]

One of these things is not like the other VI

Written By: - Date published: 7:44 am, August 4th, 2009 - 48 comments

One of these things is not like the other One of these things is not quite the same. Can you guess which one is not like the other Can you tell me before I finish the game?

In bed with bigotry

Written By: - Date published: 10:00 am, July 30th, 2009 - 34 comments

Maori Party MP Rahui Katene’s Matariki Public Holiday Bill was before the House last night (I understand National is planning to vote it down when it comes to the vote in three weeks). Anyway, as a precursor, Katene asked a question on the Government’s attitude to Maori holidays during Question Time. Chris Finlayson answered with nice platitudes. […]

Bully State

Written By: - Date published: 3:23 pm, July 29th, 2009 - 42 comments

NZPA reports: An MP from government confidence and supply party ACT today told prison officers who spoke out against private prisons that they had hurt their future job prospects. David Garrett’s remark came hot on the heals of accusations yesterday that the Government attempted to intimidate and silence people. Those claims were sparked by Social […]

I call bullshit

Written By: - Date published: 10:02 am, June 22nd, 2009 - 17 comments

I’d prefer not to wade into the David Garrett sexual harrassment fiasco, but having seen his pathetic blame-shifting in the media I’ve got to call bullshit on him. Both Garrett and his boss Rodney Hide have been downplaying the sexual harassment with the excuse that Garrett was an oil rig worker for ten years, so […]

My two cents on Garrett

Written By: - Date published: 3:06 pm, June 21st, 2009 - 52 comments

It’s a good outcome of the Worth scandal that these things are now being dealt with. Worth was known as a man women steered clear of around Parliament. Even back at Simpson Gierson. It was never dealt with until it got really serious. Garrett has been held to account for behaviour Worth got away with. […]

Roger Douglas on Key and English

Written By: - Date published: 11:54 am, June 21st, 2009 - 19 comments

Commenting on Key’s policy to force the Guardians of the Super Fund to invest 40% of funds in New Zealand, ACT’s Roger Douglas notices a pattern we’ve posted on here at The Standard before: “This only enforces the emerging trend we have seen between Mr Key and Mr English. Mr Key announces a stupid idea […]

On Auckland and Leningrad

Written By: - Date published: 3:36 pm, May 24th, 2009 - 17 comments

The modern blitzkrieg [lightning war] was first tested in the Spanish civil war, refined in the invasions of European states that marked the beginning of WWII, and applied successfully in more recent invasions in the Middle East. A blitzkrieg’s success comes from the speed of its prosecution, from which it gets it name. The speed of a blitzkrieg gives attackers […]

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