Written By: - Date published: 10:20 am, May 29th, 2010 - 33 comments
Comments by former All Black and Rugby World Cup “Ambassador” Andy Haden that alledge the Canterbury Crusaders have a limit on the number of “darkies” they have in their team have created more headaches for Key. After carefully reaffirming his love for the red-neck rump of voters with distasteful comments about Tuhoe – Key’s now faced with the […]
Written By: - Date published: 12:23 pm, May 16th, 2010 - 24 comments
The headline for the Herald’s editorial today says a lot about where the media are at with National at the moment. The Government and its actions have been savaged by a range of msm outlets this week in New Zealand – and internationally, which in turn became another source of yet more negative domestic coverage. This week […]
Written By: - Date published: 7:41 am, May 14th, 2010 - 64 comments
Hey thanks John, you’ve really helped put New Zealand in the international spotlight yet again. First it was your clown act on Letterman, more recently your cringe-worthy fawning over Biden and attempts to be seen as another Obama, your valiant pro-whaling pandering while leaving a New Zealand hero to languish in a Japanese jail, then your eagerness to mine […]
Written By: - Date published: 9:02 am, May 13th, 2010 - 15 comments
Phil Goff has put some good solid (if rather moderate) left-wing substance on the table in his pre-budget speech yesterday. Duncan Garner says that was the right move, but wonders if Labour now needs to focus on the questions surrounding John Key. Garner says in the wake of several questionable moves Key’s integrity is now on the line and Labour should exploit it.
Written By: - Date published: 8:32 am, May 5th, 2010 - 88 comments
Today’s Herald has a front page piece criticizing Key’s abandonment of his Middle East trade mission to return home for the funerals of the three airmen who crashed on their way to an ANZAC Day parade. Trade delegate Dr John Langley said the decision was not in New Zealand’s long-term interests and that Mr Key was […]
Written By: - Date published: 8:35 am, April 18th, 2010 - 100 comments
Pete Bethune is one of New Zealand’s heroes. He’s been a successful entrepreneur and gone on to use his wealth to fight the big guys on the grounds of principle. As skipper of the New Zealand flagged hi-tech boat Earthrace, his circumnavigation attempts showcased kiwi ingenuity to the world and demonstrated the value of bio-fuels to […]
Written By: - Date published: 9:25 am, April 8th, 2010 - 49 comments
A while ago at a barbeque a couple of friends were discussing the “Seven Good Pairs of Hands Theory”, namely, that a good government only needs seven very good people at its core to run effectively. Indeed, more than seven can often be problematic because of competition issues, but that isn’t usually a problem in New […]
Written By: - Date published: 10:58 am, March 3rd, 2010 - 27 comments
Comparing the post-leadership careers of Clark and Brash is quite a study in contrasts. Clark’s has been stellar, Brash’s an embarrassment. But the world of difference between these two leaders is much clearer with the perfect hindsight of 2010 than it was when they were locked in a tight electoral battle in 2005.
How will history look back at the leadership of John Key?
Written By: - Date published: 9:27 am, February 10th, 2010 - 15 comments
Any questions?
Written By: - Date published: 9:41 am, December 20th, 2009 - 99 comments
So Copenhagen has ended in failure. I’m not surprised, but I am disappointed. As The Guardian reports: Low targets, goals dropped: Copenhagen ends in failure Deal thrashed out at talks condemned as climate change scepticism in action The UN climate summit reached a weak outline of a global agreement in Copenhagen tonight, falling far short […]
Written By: - Date published: 11:20 am, December 10th, 2009 - 39 comments
Check out Phil Goff’s general debate speech yesterday on In The House, a handy new site paid for by the Office of the Clerk (can’t work out how to embed from it yet). The speech is excellent and it focuses where Labour should be focusing: National’s complete unwillingness and inability to do anything for hardworking […]
Written By: - Date published: 10:11 am, December 9th, 2009 - 23 comments
RNZ, Nov 6: Sean Plunket “Most commentators say you’re leadership style has been one that has sought to avoid personal attacks and name calling” John Key “Well, I don’t think that [personal attacks and name calling] get you anywhere” Parliament yesterday (just examples from one day) Key “I guess the difference between me and the […]
Written By: - Date published: 11:37 am, November 29th, 2009 - 15 comments
Among the breathless reporting of who John Key is having a meeting with (‘he’s talking to the Queen!’ ‘he’s going to talk to India’s PM), as if a meeting itself is an outcome, an achievement, I’ve seen one very interesting comment on CHOGM. On her blog, Audrey Young writes about French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s appearance […]
Written By: - Date published: 6:56 am, November 16th, 2009 - 21 comments
We’ve been in the tunnel of love too long. (You youngsters can go look it up.) The media’s affair with our personable but apparently useless PM has been a trying time for we lefties. But I think there are glimmers of light at the end of the tunnel. Those glimmers come in the form of several […]
Written By: - Date published: 1:57 pm, November 15th, 2009 - 66 comments
I know this point/counterpoint series of posts on Hone Harawira maybe getting a bit tiresome but I have to disagree with the assertion in a couple of recent ones that Harawira has been treated more harshly Bill English and Rodney Hide or, by implication, than a Pakeha in his situation would have. And I think that those […]
Written By: - Date published: 8:41 am, November 15th, 2009 - 15 comments
Throughout the mana enhancing relationship between the National and Maori parties, we haven’t yet seen a lot of give and take. Well, I guess that’s only half true – we’ve seen a lot of taking for granted by National and a lot of giving concessions by the Maori Party, but none of the other way […]
Written By: - Date published: 1:38 pm, November 14th, 2009 - 12 comments
Here is one excellent article from Tracey Barnett in the Weekend Herald … Admit it: John Key’s most memorable moment in one year of office was seeing him on the stage of The David Letterman Show, smiling like somebody’s brother-in-law you’d forgotten you went to school with. … It’s as if we ordered a competent […]
Written By: - Date published: 8:01 am, November 14th, 2009 - 76 comments
Here’s a prediction for you. National will lose the next election. The reason that they will lose is that they are running a hollow shell of a government. They haven’t had a plan to deal with the recession, they have just muddled through claiming the programmes that Labour left in place as their own. They […]
Written By: - Date published: 1:30 pm, November 8th, 2009 - 5 comments
A shout out on a Sunday to a family who are walking the talk: Pastor Murray Smith preaches a message of generosity in his sermons and says people need few material things in order to live happy and fulfilling lives. So Pastor Smith, his wife, Michelle, and their three young children are giving up their […]
Written By: - Date published: 12:20 pm, October 31st, 2009 - 25 comments
Amongst all the puffery from the right-wing commentators in the Herald today, a very interesting piece – interviews with ordinary people from New Zealand’s most marginal electorate, New Plymouth. she voted National because it was “time for a change”. “I’m quite impressed with John Key. He’s coped with a lot of situations. Compared to the […]
Written By: - Date published: 2:28 pm, October 29th, 2009 - 6 comments
With all the noise around Obama you don’t hear much about this guy now. He was politically naive but knowingly and willingly acted as a front for much more machiavellian minds. He came to politics with lots of money and was promoted very quickly, but he wasn’t too good at inspiring confidence by way of […]
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