Parliament
Categories under Parliament
Say what?
Written By: - Date published: 8:40 am, January 18th, 2010 - 12 comments
Statements made in Parliament last year, in chronological order: Hon BILL ENGLISH: They have been telling us that we should copy the Australian fiscal stimulus, when Australia’s unemployment rate is close to 6%—whereas our fiscal stimulus has kept our unemployment rate down to 5%. So which one is it: copy Australia’s plan and force the […]
Call of the week
Written By: - Date published: 7:19 am, December 11th, 2009 - 8 comments
Fitzsimons: If Barack Obama comes to Copenhagen saying ‘yes we can do much more’ will the Prime Minister say ‘no we can’t, but can I still have a photo-op?’
Above all that kind of thing
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 […]
Excellent question
Written By: - Date published: 8:57 am, December 9th, 2009 - 9 comments
An excellent question from Labour yesterday, using some familiar numbers: Hon Annette King: When he was reusing ‘unreliable, highly volatile, and potentially misleading’ [Paula Bennett’s words] figures yesterday, was he aware that unemployment drops around this time every year and that this year we are experiencing a smaller than usual seasonal drop of just 2.6 percent, […]
Key aids English’s latest rort
Written By: - Date published: 4:42 pm, December 8th, 2009 - 18 comments
Ministers are given self-drive taxpayer-funded cars for official business in their electorates (in Wellington they have crown limos at their disposal for official business). Pretty logically, the cars were always based at the ministers’ primary place of residence because that’s where they would need it. But that presented a problem for Bill ‘Double Dipton’ English. […]
Trans-Tasman ratings
Written By: - Date published: 2:39 pm, December 7th, 2009 - 18 comments
In a sure sign the silly season is upon us, the Trans-Tasman has released its annual MP ratings. Considering the writers of the Trans-Tasman are rabid rightwingers who view John Key as the second-coming, it’s hardly a surprise that Nats get high scores and the Left get low ones. Anne Tolley, a woman so stupid […]
Hide repays, what about the others?
Written By: - Date published: 10:14 am, November 9th, 2009 - 20 comments
Earlier this year, John Key stated: “I’ve told [my ministers] if they want to take their partner, they can do it, but they pay for it’. It emerged last week that Rodney Hide, Peter Dunne, David Carter, Phil Heatley and, it is thought, Maurice Williamson and Judith Collins had used taxpayer funds to pay for their spouses’ […]
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 […]
The slippery standards of Mr Key
Written By: - Date published: 9:23 am, November 3rd, 2009 - 21 comments
Yesterday, John Key cleverly tried to reframe his ministers’ failure to obey his standards on use of perks: “You don’t want 120 Members of Parliament who have the financial independence to be able to make the financial decisions that I make. “It wouldn’t be the House of Representatives, we need people from all walks of […]
Key OK with ministers’ backdoor perk
Written By: - Date published: 10:58 am, October 30th, 2009 - 26 comments
I’m sure you noticed Hide’s latest shenanigans – getting his partner taxpayer subsidised international flights despite Key’s directive not to. Key (surprise, surprise) is ‘comfortable’ with this because Hide used Parliamentary not Ministerial funds. Hide was taking a jaunt around London and Toronto to see other ‘Supercities’ close-up (unfortunately, he ignored the lessons). It was a ministerial trip but we paid […]
Nats flying high, on your dime
Written By: - Date published: 3:30 pm, October 29th, 2009 - 16 comments
Why is our agriculture minister spending as much as the Prime Minister on international travel? David Carter has spent $72,000 on international travel in nine months Peter Dunne, Minister of Revenue, has spent $76,000 Judith Collins, $70K. Anne Tolley $79,000. 70-80K each – we’re talking about enough money to buy half a dozen last minute […]
What’s so urgent?
Written By: - Date published: 12:00 pm, October 28th, 2009 - 12 comments
As we endure the 6th consecutive week of National putting Parliament into urgency, new stats show that this government is abusing urgency to an unprecedented extent. Here’s the % of sitting time under urgency in recent Parliaments (the current one is the 49th): In it’s three terms in office, Labour took between 7.3 (first term) […]
The urgency of love
Written By: - Date published: 11:00 am, October 23rd, 2009 - 7 comments
One thing about love is that what you abhor or hate in others you tolerate, even admire, in the object of your affection. Take the media’s handling of Parliament going into Urgency. When Labour filibustered over the second Auckland Supercity Bill, there were articles in the newspapers and snide remarks from news commentators about the […]
Parliament pay dispute just the start
Written By: - Date published: 9:21 am, October 15th, 2009 - 9 comments
Non-political staff Parliamentary Service are in industrial action. They want to keep their redundancy provisions that were bargained for years ago and get pay into the collective. Right now HR decides their wages. They’re meant use this performance pay system but now they’re saying there’s no money and no cost of living adjustments. The pay […]
Do you want a republic?
Written By: - Date published: 7:30 am, October 15th, 2009 - 38 comments
Republicanism is a funny issue. Politicians tend to agree that it is inevitable that “at some point” NZ will become a republic, but no one is prepared to take the job on. Well, fate has tilted the table. Yesterday Keith Locke’s bill was drawn from the member’s ballot. The bill sets out a two-step referendum […]
Toad asks: Who paid for what, Nick?
Written By: - Date published: 12:30 pm, October 13th, 2009 - 1 comment
Following my post yesterday, toad on g.blog raises some questions about Nick Smith’s expense claims: In the Dompost article, Nick Smith said “I had to spend $152,000 to make [his electoral office, which he owns] usable I don’t dispute that. But who paid the $152,000? Was it Smith personally? Or was at least some of it from a […]
Parliamentary staff begin industrial action
Written By: - Date published: 4:23 pm, October 5th, 2009 - 6 comments
Low-level industrial action has begun at Parliament after workers rejected an offer from the employer that would have slashed redundancy provisions and kept pay outside the collective, meaning wage cuts for the foreseeable future. The management is trying to please their political bosses by cutting wages and is looking at outsourcing the provision of security […]
English could learn from the Greens
Written By: - Date published: 5:18 pm, October 4th, 2009 - 116 comments
The Greens have a superannuation fund. That’s fine. It has investments in a couple of houses. That’s fine. The Green MPs have to rent somewhere to live when they’re in Wellington. They claim the out of town allowance to cover those costs, which is what the allowance is for. So, that’s fine. Three of the […]
Billalice in Wonderwelly
Written By: - Date published: 8:04 am, September 27th, 2009 - 4 comments
Things must be getting decidedly trippy for Deputy PM Bill English about now, and not in a good way. While his glorious leader is off overseas playing the Jester Statesman, back home Bill’s future is looking gloomier by the day. With the Auditor General looking into English‘s Krishna-like claims of being able to exist in […]
Breaking English
Written By: - Date published: 3:50 pm, September 17th, 2009 - 41 comments
Bill English is not holding up well to the persistent questions put to him in Parliament about shuffling around his financial appearance to rort the taxpayer by claiming $1000 a week in housing allowances. Today, Bill English was stuttering his way through questions put to him by Pete Hodgson. And English again refused to publicly […]
Contempt for democracy
Written By: - Date published: 5:30 am, September 17th, 2009 - 46 comments
Gerry Brownlee in Question Time yesterday. He’s asked a question, just sits there and refuses to answer. Doesn’t even open his mouth, just sits there with a smug look on his face. Lockwood, out of his depth like always, just ignores the rules to cover Brownlee’s arse. Only ten months in and this Government is abusing or […]
A hollow gesture
Written By: - Date published: 10:45 am, September 15th, 2009 - 7 comments
Some good comments from CTU president Helen Kelly in the Dom today on the Government’s posturing over MP pay increases. “The Government is trying to make a hero out of anybody who doesn’t get a pay increase, and I’m worried about that because there are a lot of workers out there they’re putting pressure on […]
Abuse of process
Written By: - Date published: 10:00 am, September 9th, 2009 - 7 comments
National put Parliament back into urgency yesterday. It is ramming through the extension to the retail deposit guarantee, the RMA amendments, changes to the Biosecurity Act (and something else that escapes my memory). The RMA changes are particularly contentious but we won’t get to know what the Government is planning until hours before it passes […]
A rort is a rort is a rort
Written By: - Date published: 10:00 am, September 8th, 2009 - 48 comments
And by any other name it smells as bad. John Key has annouced a reform of the rules for ministerial accommodation allowance. A fixed, automatic allowance will now be paid to all out of Wellington ministers of $37,500 a year for their Wellington accomodation (or $30,000 if they own the house), slightly less than the highest spending ministers […]
Hoist with his own petard
Written By: - Date published: 11:38 am, August 26th, 2009 - 10 comments
Last week, Tony Ryall used his time in the big chair for, surprise, surprise, a little preening. He decided to take credit for the 12,000 more elective surgeries conducted fiscal year, a year in which Labour set the budget and Ryall was only minister for the second half (of which he took one month off) Well, […]
Phil Goff speaking on the SAS deployment
Written By: - Date published: 8:02 pm, August 19th, 2009 - 9 comments
Goff’s speech on deploying the SAS
Written By: - Date published: 10:20 am, August 19th, 2009 - 12 comments
Apart from when it’s customary, at maiden speeches, valedictories, and the Budget, it’s a rare speech that warrants a standing ovation in Parliament. Phil Goff got one yesterday for his speech on the urgent debate into the deployment of the SAS to Afghanistan. The text is here but it’s the delivery that really makes it*. Competent, […]
Standing up for our rights
Written By: - Date published: 10:00 am, August 13th, 2009 - 37 comments
Remember the petition to state your opposition to Paula Bennett’s attack on our privacy rights. The idea is it will be tabled in Parliament next week. It’s a chance to take a symbolic stand against this bullying Key Government. You can download the pdf here or by clicking on the image and mail it freepost by […]
More questions for English
Written By: - Date published: 8:20 am, August 9th, 2009 - 77 comments
Yesterday, John Armstrong talked about the Auditor-General’s 2001 report into eligibility for a Wellington accommodation allowance: the then Auditor-General David MacDonald scrutinised allowances after two ministers – Labour’s Marian Hobbs and the Alliance’s Phillida Bunkle – got into serious strife for claiming out-of-Wellington expenses when they had made Wellington their place of residence by virtue […]
English in serious trouble
Written By: - Date published: 11:30 am, August 6th, 2009 - 70 comments
Over at Red Alert, Trevor Mallard has posted a form that all MPs wanting an out-of-town allowance must fill out. It asks MPs to list their residential address, and asks “Is this residence the place you would normally go to when you are not on parliamentary business?’ If Bill English put down his Dipton farm […]
- The Secret Diary of .. Sheriff Seymour
Monday Sheriff Seymour rode his white horse through the beautiful tree-lined streets of the wealthiest suburb in Dodge, and arrived at the mansion of one of the richest men in the whole state.He rang the doorbell. A servant led him to an oak-panelled room, and gestured for him to sit.He ...1 week ago - The case for COPs (even this one)
Every day this week, COP29 has managed to spark international headlines for all the wrong reasons.First, the eight hour agenda fight over what, actually, diplomats will spend time negotiating this year.Then on Tuesday the President of Azerbaijan, which is hosting COP29 in the capital Baku, called oil and gas a ...1 week ago
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- Short story: I’ll ask my sister, by Marilyn Duckworth
A chatter of small brown birds rose up from the crippled tree at the street’s end. Muttering. She was reminded of the local Council who were still grumpily debating problems, including those of street verges. Some home owners had been taking it upon themselves to make cheeky personal use of ...1 week ago
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Thousands converged on Auckland, the day before the first reading of the controversial Treaty Principles Bill, writes Stewart Sowman-Lund for The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. ...2 weeks ago
- You’re gonna miss the post office when it’s gone
Despite it dwindling locations and reduced service, NZ Post remains a pillar in every community, writes Hera Lindsay Bird. Every Saturday morning I arrive at 7.30am, and enter the post office box lobby. Behind the narrow corridor of identical red letterboxes, there is a locked room, full of ancient Christmas ...2 weeks ago
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