national/act government

Categories under national/act government

This Government’s citizenship priorities

Written By: - Date published: 9:06 am, March 24th, 2017 - 52 comments

Environmental activist Michael Tavares request for an exceptional circumstances grant of citizenship has been refused by this Government whereas right wing libertarian Peter Thiel’s request for an exceptional circumstances grant of citizenship was granted. Why the difference?

Kia Kaha Canterbury

Written By: - Date published: 8:00 am, February 16th, 2017 - 35 comments

It seems almost inevitable that the recent fires in Canterbury and the Hawkes Bay are the result of climate change and the harbingers of things to come.

Well done Murray McCully

Written By: - Date published: 7:48 pm, December 24th, 2016 - 287 comments

Murray McCully has had New Zealand co sponsor a successful Security Council resolution condemning Israel for violating International Law through its resettlement policy.

The great Cabinet reshuffle

Written By: - Date published: 3:12 pm, December 18th, 2016 - 94 comments

Bill English has announced his cabinet reshuffle.

McCully is going

Written By: - Date published: 3:27 pm, December 15th, 2016 - 26 comments

Murray McCully has announced that he too is standing down from politics at the next election and his removal as a Minister this week appears almost inevitable.

The Standard is offering to the National Party leadership contenders guest post slots

Written By: - Date published: 12:15 pm, December 7th, 2016 - 128 comments

In the spirit of bi partisanship the Standard wishes to offer the candidates for leadership of the National caucus guest post slots and the ability to answer readers’ questions.

Andrew Little: Promises to Pike families must be kept

Written By: - Date published: 11:57 am, November 20th, 2016 - 81 comments

Yesterday marked the sixth anniversary of the Pike River disaster. Here is a statement released by Andrew Little urging that the mine not be sealed and the deaths of the miners be investigated and their bodies brought home.

Sheepgate: Government celebrates finding that McCully is not corrupt

Written By: - Date published: 6:01 pm, November 2nd, 2016 - 58 comments

The Auditor General’s report into Sheepgate has been released and there has to be questions about the accuracy of what Murray McCully has told Parliament and his ability to fullfil his role as a Minister.

Labour’s Auckland light rail announcement

Written By: - Date published: 8:38 am, October 31st, 2016 - 87 comments

National is criticising Labour for releasing policy during an election campaign.

Bennett is PM. We are doomed …

Written By: - Date published: 12:19 pm, October 27th, 2016 - 25 comments

Paula Bennett is currently acting Prime Minister.

There goes the surplus

Written By: - Date published: 8:00 am, October 18th, 2016 - 58 comments

The media last week reported extensively an operating surplus of $1.8 billion dollars. But they missed the not so good news that the value of ACC’s assets took a $5.1 billion hit, the Super Fund lost $2 billion, the Crown’s liability under the ETS increased by $1.5 billion and net Crown debt increased by $1.3 billion.

The crime spike

Written By: - Date published: 9:30 am, October 12th, 2016 - 24 comments

Who would have thought that a surge in homelessness would result in a spike in crime, and that a dramatic increase in the number of people with no or compromised housing situations would cause an increase in burglaries, robberies and assaults.

National loses control of Parliament

Written By: - Date published: 8:37 am, September 8th, 2016 - 111 comments

It may have been brief and passing but yesterday National lost control of Parliament.  And it was all their own fault.

Between what we want and what we need

Written By: - Date published: 8:00 am, August 19th, 2016 - 122 comments

New Zealand is slowly losing faith with this Government and this is why.

The Unitary Plan: Rodney’s Dream

Written By: - Date published: 1:45 pm, August 7th, 2016 - 59 comments

Rodney Hide must be sleeping well, because Auckland’s proposed Unitary Plan will deliver all he and his NACT patrons ever hoped for. The Council should reject the Plan in its current form, cherry-pick those aspects consistent with a democratic and liveable city and sheet home the responsibility to those that created the mess.

The EU thinks that our tax system’s clean bill of health is not so clean

Written By: - Date published: 8:08 am, August 2nd, 2016 - 43 comments

The European Union is considering sanctions against New Zealand for operating as a tax haven and the proposed reforms by John Sherwin may not be enough.

We truly are being run by a bunch of clowns

Written By: - Date published: 8:55 am, July 13th, 2016 - 29 comments

National is flailing around attempting to divert attention from its failure to do anything meaningful about the homeless crisis.

Why is it that?

Written By: - Date published: 8:49 am, June 1st, 2016 - 205 comments

Why is it that elements of the media always claim that any sort of cooperation between Labour and the Greens will be disastrous for both parties?

McCully, the National Party donation and the Niue resort

Written By: - Date published: 10:05 am, April 18th, 2016 - 57 comments

Murray McCully has assured New Zealand that there is no link between the granting of valuable rights to manage a luxury resort in Niue and the making of large donations to the National Party.

A Song from John (All your questions answered)

Written By: - Date published: 3:18 pm, April 8th, 2016 - 4 comments

Okay. So rumoour has it that John was merely a co-writer.

Panama tax rort stirs world leaders but not Key

Written By: - Date published: 8:00 am, April 7th, 2016 - 18 comments

The Panama Papers highlight a significant problem for the countries of the world.  The actions of the 1% is robbing countries throughout the world of funds needed to run their countries and underlines that the capitalist system is based on greed.  Most leaders see this but not John Key.

Deborah Russell: What’s going on with foreign trusts?

Written By: - Date published: 8:00 am, April 5th, 2016 - 66 comments

Deborah Russell provides expert analysis and commentary on the treatment of foreign trusts in New Zealand and how there is actually a loophole.

The sock puppets, the media and the UBI

Written By: - Date published: 8:00 am, March 31st, 2016 - 117 comments

Labour’s discussion of a possible UBI is still generating debate.

Wee Todd Barclay may have a wee problem

Written By: - Date published: 8:47 am, March 12th, 2016 - 63 comments

Clutha Southland National MP’s employee dispute has escalated with a police inquiry into the possible secret recording of a staff member being conducted.

Government plans RMA power grab

Written By: - Date published: 8:00 am, March 9th, 2016 - 29 comments

The Government is planning to allow the relevant Minister to change District Plans by regulation or to allow National Policy Statements to change district plans and to prevent submissions being received unless evidence contained is provided by a professional adviser with expertise.

David Seymour thinks ACT is the environmental party

Written By: - Date published: 8:30 am, February 27th, 2016 - 72 comments

David Seymour will at ACT’s conference today outline why ACT and not the Greens is the real environmental party.

The great big list of John Key’s big fat lies (UPDATED)

Written By: - Date published: 7:00 am, January 27th, 2016 - 79 comments

How many more lies will John Key tell today in his so-called State of the Nation address? Virtual chocolate fish to whomever guesses the closest number.

War Veteran’s superannuation cancelled because of Government policy

Written By: - Date published: 11:04 am, January 26th, 2016 - 163 comments

National is the master of micro changes to policies which give it the appearance that it is being hard on beneficiaries.  But in extreme cases the policies produce ridiculous results.  Such as the 89 year old war veteran who lost his superannuation and was forced to beg after had an arrest warrant issued for trespass.

Sustainability Council: TPPA lets investors sue over climate change policies

Written By: - Date published: 7:30 am, January 22nd, 2016 - 98 comments

The Sustainability Council has reported that passing the TPPA may result in corporate claims for compensation against sovereign states that adopt policies to address climate change.  And details how references to climate change were washed out of the text of the TPPA during the negotiation process.

Kingi Taurua says Government not welcome to Waitangi if TPPA signed

Written By: - Date published: 7:45 am, January 19th, 2016 - 342 comments

Ngāpuhi kaumātua and spokesperson for Te Tii Marae Kingi Tairua has announced that because of the lack of consultation if the TPPA is signed the Government will not be welcome at Waitangi.

National’s vision for New Zealand’s future

Written By: - Date published: 11:28 am, January 12th, 2016 - 94 comments

Stephen Joyce has had published an opinion piece in this morning’s Herald which extolls the virtue of free trade and ignores the pitfalls.  Such as those shown this week when TransCanada sued the US Government for rejecting the Keystone XL pipeline contract.