national/act government

Categories under national/act government

Is John Key on the skids?

Written By: - Date published: 4:25 pm, December 3rd, 2014 - 85 comments

In the House today Megan Woods embarrassed John Key with some very simple yet direct questions about Jason Ede. Key’s attempts to joke away the issue was met with silence from his side of the house. Dirty Politics is clearly having an effect.

The Countering Terrorist Fighters Legislation Bill

Written By: - Date published: 8:16 am, December 2nd, 2014 - 34 comments

The Countering Terrorist Fighters Legislation Bill is set to return to Parliament today with some changes likely to be recommended by the select committee.  And John Key is  sounding conciliatory by promising to wind some powers back while at the same time promising an increase in powers next year even though a review of the Intelligence agencies has not been completed.

Paid parental leave bill faces defeat

Written By: - Date published: 12:00 pm, November 6th, 2014 - 9 comments

The first repercussion of the election result is the almost inevitable defeat of Sue Moroney’s Paid Parental Leave private member’s bill.  The Government is clearly determined to prevent her from getting credit for raising and highlighting an issue of importance to Kiwi families.

About climate change …

Written By: - Date published: 1:11 pm, November 3rd, 2014 - 162 comments

The IPCC has released a further report refining previous research and announcing with practical certainty that climate change is happening because of the production of greenhouse gasses.  It proposes that we stop burning fossil fuels, and change the electricity generation system so that by 2050 the vast bulk of the world’s power is produced by renewable means.  The diagnosis is clear as are the remedies.  And meanwhile Tim Groser thinks the Greens are to blame for the recent drop in the milk price …

NRT: A model for unaccountability

Written By: - Date published: 1:32 pm, September 30th, 2014 - 14 comments

The Act party, well known for rorts, dodgy deals, general corruption, and the poor calibre of their candidates, is doing it again. National gave their single novice MP an “under-secretary” position to allow Act to rort extra money from taxpayers. It also provides him with a position that is wholly unaccountable to parliament or the public via OIA.

Key rorts system

Written By: - Date published: 8:48 am, September 26th, 2014 - 52 comments

There is a rort being negotiated in Parliament that will cost the thick edge of $1 million a year. Where is the Taxpayer’s union on this?

National’s promises to you. #1.

Written By: - Date published: 1:57 pm, September 22nd, 2014 - 31 comments

Nationals promises to you. #1.

Judith Collins must go

Written By: - Date published: 9:00 am, August 19th, 2014 - 67 comments

Five months ago John Key gave Judith Collins a final warning regarding her Ministerial Career after misleading him and the media about Oravida.  Following the release of Nicky Hager’s book Dirty Politics and the allegations, backed up by emails, that Hager has made against Collins her last chance must have now been used up.

Dirty Politics: The Brestapo

Written By: - Date published: 7:00 am, August 14th, 2014 - 88 comments

I have foolishly never taken Cameron Slater very seriously except when his attacks have been obviously for the benefit of the National Party. I actually believed that the misinformed and bigoted viewpoints that prevail in his posts were his genuine opinions. It fits his character to drone on about “The Breastapo” “Sucking on the Taxpayers’ Tit”. To discover that such posts were actually written and paid for on behalf of Fonterra actually shocked me.

What deal do we get?

Written By: - Date published: 9:38 am, July 30th, 2014 - 94 comments

Key’s promised to do his best to bring in ACT and UnitedHairdo. Last election this brought us the likes of Charter Schools – unmentioned by any party during the campaign. What policies will National foist upon us through this outsourcing deal this time?

What should Labour do about Brownlee breaching Airport security?

Written By: - Date published: 2:25 pm, July 24th, 2014 - 65 comments

Gerry Brownlee went through the wrong door of Christchurch Airport and breached security.  What should Labour’s response be?

Why can’t John Key tell us how much Hauiti has ripped us off?

Written By: - Date published: 11:50 am, July 24th, 2014 - 30 comments

John Key claims to not know how much money Claudette Hauiti has spent on her credit card and suggests that a list demotion has persuaded her to stand down.  Surely he should ask.  If he doesn’t then the media should ask why not.  And was Hauiti persuaded or pushed into not standing again?

Government Inquiries – Not Throwing Light But Closing Down Debate

Written By: - Date published: 3:18 pm, July 23rd, 2014 - 8 comments

As a young MP in the British House of Commons in the late 1970s, I rapidly became aware that half the political stories in Fleet Street originated with the Press Association’s indefatigable political correspondent, Chris Moncrieff. I was regularly button-holed by Chris as I crossed the Members’ Lobby and asked to comment on the latest […]

Dotcom – Who applied the political pressure?

Written By: - Date published: 8:46 am, July 16th, 2014 - 219 comments

National is claiming that Immigration NZ’s decision to allow Kim Dotcom to stay was made without any political pressure being applied.  But it was the decision of the SIS to remove its block on Dotcom’s application that let the approval be granted.  Why did the SIS remove its block and who applied the political pressure?

The real aims of National’s “Education” policy.

Written By: - Date published: 10:32 am, July 8th, 2014 - 149 comments

If the aims of National/ACT’s education policy were, genuinely, to to improve the learning, education and career choices for our children, including the ones that are failing at present, they would not be following policies which have signally failed to achieve any of these goals, anywhere else they have been tried.

A John Key. With assembly instructions.

Written By: - Date published: 9:06 am, June 29th, 2014 - 11 comments

How to make your very own New Zealand Prime Minister. Even better looking than this vessel.

Arses and Elbows

Written By: - Date published: 1:21 pm, June 19th, 2014 - 123 comments

So, the Deputy Prime Minister insists that no-one from the ruling National Party knew of an eleven year old letter from Labour’s David Cunliffe asking Immigration about time frames for decision making. Meanwhile, the Prime Minister states he knew of the letter for some weeks. Scandalously, some ministers from the ruling National Party have sought […]

Good news, National are afraid of David Cunliffe

Written By: - Date published: 8:46 pm, June 18th, 2014 - 222 comments

The weak and transparent smear attempt from National says more about them than David Cunliffe.

Polity: News from National Comms!

Written By: - Date published: 2:50 pm, June 13th, 2014 - 40 comments

Rob Salmond at Polity on what has landed in his mail box paid for by your GST and also close to the wrong side the permissible limits of Parliamentary Services funds. Or perhaps this is something for “NZ Taxpayers Union” to moan about wasting taxpayers money with. They won’t of course because they seem to be good little front organisation for Act and Jordan Williams appears to have about as much independence as their beloved slaves. But if you received one, then a complaint seems in order.

The National party are in bed with the insurance industry but it’s Christchurch residents that are getting shafted

Written By: - Date published: 1:29 pm, June 12th, 2014 - 117 comments

The Insurance Council and National are desperately trying to pour cold water on Labour’s popular earthquake court policy.

D Day for John Banks

Written By: - Date published: 7:58 am, June 5th, 2014 - 99 comments

D Day for John Banks is today. Is he guilty of making a false declaration of his electoral expenses? Will he be convicted? And what are the political repercussions?

The Budget and the Christchurch rebuild

Written By: - Date published: 9:39 am, May 17th, 2014 - 44 comments

In the pursuit of a balanced budget it appears that the Government has cut funding from a number of areas of Government activity, the Christchurch rebuild included. And Gerry Brownlee is refusing to accept that flooding has been exacerbated by the earthquakes and trying to undermine the suggestion that costs estimates are overly optimistic.

National tacks left with its fudge it budget

Written By: - Date published: 9:30 am, May 16th, 2014 - 174 comments

National must be worried about its prospects in this year’s election.  Because its budget did not have the normal hard right policies that we have come to expect of it and it is trying to lessen the attraction of some of Labour’s announced policies.

Sausagegate

Written By: - Date published: 12:27 pm, May 12th, 2014 - 76 comments

It just goes to show how National’s luck is running. John Key has arguably committed the offence of treating by handing out free sausages and has sabotaged the fundraising attempts of a couple of Queenstown kids. Now imagine if Cameron Slater had his hands on this story …

Crushed Collins

Written By: - Date published: 8:20 am, May 6th, 2014 - 163 comments

Judith Collins spectacular fall from grace continues. The latest news is that shortly after THAT dinner where business was NOT discussed Oravida received a quarantine clearance certificate from the Chinese Authorities and then coincidentally made a donation to the National Party.

Hollow Men redux

Written By: - Date published: 12:35 pm, April 10th, 2014 - 43 comments

Don Brash has published an autobiography and his comments about and presentation of John Key is less than complimentary.

Bridges is rattled, and confused

Written By: - Date published: 7:36 pm, April 9th, 2014 - 97 comments

Simon Bridges has not had a good week.  His knowledge of the whereabouts of pristine natural areas is as reliable as his knowledge of Russel Norman’s ministerial career.

Hekia Parata wants to punish poor schools

Written By: - Date published: 9:43 am, March 17th, 2014 - 46 comments

Yesterday Hekia Parata floated the idea that funding of schools should be based on measuring the periodic change in academic standards.  This is a retrograde proposal which almost inevitably would penalise poor schools and worsen educational standards for many.  Today she has been trying to dampen down the idea and has emphasised that it will not be considered until after the next election.  A better reason to vote this Government out I cannot imagine.

Auckland Council CCO 2 step

Written By: - Date published: 10:42 am, March 7th, 2014 - 13 comments

Mai Chen argues that the current review of Auckland Council CCOs will put them on a tighter leash.  Tony Holman argues against the whole CCO set up: it’s a trojan horse, 2 step towards privatisation of Auckland assets.  Aucklanders need to have their say. Vote out Team Key to prevent such sales.

NRT: Ticket clipping

Written By: - Date published: 4:53 pm, February 13th, 2014 - 29 comments

National’s charter schools are predicated on the idea that the public education system is doing a bad job. They’re (over-)funded to do things differently. So its more than a little odd that He Puna Marama Trust’s charter school is simply getting local state schools to do all their teaching for them. They just clip the ticket converting taxpayers money to private profit. Ridiculous corrupt NAct policy.

Herald massaging a message

Written By: - Date published: 5:19 pm, January 23rd, 2014 - 23 comments

The Herald continues its tabloid-style vendetta against Len Brown by serving up non-news in a shock-horror frame to make the mayor look bad. With a combination of the delicate removal/rewriting of what was said and a a senile loss of memory about the chains imposed on Auckland by National, Act and Rodney Hide – the Granny Herald continues its downward slide into irrelevance.