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NRT: Voting against democracy

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 9:30 am, April 7th, 2012 - 14 comments

No Right Turn on another sad chapter for democracy in NZ.

Another “Zero budget”

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 9:34 am, April 6th, 2012 - 72 comments

Another “Zero budget” has been signaled. Some commentators think it’s a bold move. I beg to differ.

The lie of the “fiscally neutral” tax cuts

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 3:50 pm, April 4th, 2012 - 46 comments

The “fiscally neutral” tax cuts never were neutral at all, and a lower than expected tax take is hitting the government’s books. But Key is still out there repeating the lie.

Collins’ last stand

Written By: IrishBill - Date published: 6:55 pm, April 2nd, 2012 - 46 comments

It looks like Collin’s has got herself into a bind with her defamation case and Key’s not gonna get her out.

And why would he? Her flailing offers an excellent distraction from the real PR damage of this dispute – the fact his government is only interested in looking after its mates.

TV1 Poll

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 9:40 am, April 2nd, 2012 - 40 comments

A TV1 poll yesterday had Key falling as preferred PM, but no significant change for the major parties.

Bernard Hickey – Ouch!

Written By: Bunji - Date published: 6:34 am, April 2nd, 2012 - 273 comments

Bernard Hickey has a great piece in the Herald on Sunday that you shouldn’t miss.

Confused? A guide to the letters & leaks in the Nats’ Civil War

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 4:03 pm, March 31st, 2012 - 77 comments

The ever-growing list of letters, emails, and leaks in the National Party Civil War, that started off as an apparently apolitical privacy breach by ACC, is getting hard to follow. Here’s a summary of the various documents and their ramifications – so far.

Beached as bro

Written By: James Henderson - Date published: 11:59 am, March 30th, 2012 - 57 comments

Within minutes of Simon Lusk’s name being linked to the leaking of the Boag email, a message came through on the tip line – Slater is going feral over Lusk’s name being mentioned. And well he might, Lusk is Cameron Slater’s meal ticket. After a stunned silence on Whaleoil for a few hours – Slater/Lusk were back with all the dirt they could sling.

Collins’ dilemma & lameduck Key

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 9:06 am, March 30th, 2012 - 36 comments

Judith Collins’ behaviour might strike some as strangely aggressive. Some might even suppose she wouldn’t behave like this unless she was in the right. But let’s put ourselves in her shoes. She wants to be leader. She is now embroiled in a scandal that could end her career. If she could put an end to it without resigning, she would nip it in the bud. Clearly, she can’t.

Key people

Written By: IrishBill - Date published: 10:02 pm, March 29th, 2012 - 50 comments

The people named as Bronwyn Pullar’s support team seem to be the same people that helped John Key into the National Party and then into the leadership.

Like they say – it’s not what you know…

Key linked to Pullar claim

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 7:22 pm, March 29th, 2012 - 153 comments

Close Up tonight led with the allegation, based on a leaked document, that John Key (and other prominent Nats) were listed as supporting a $14 million dollar insurance claim by Bronwyn Pullar.

They eat their own

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 2:18 pm, March 28th, 2012 - 96 comments

ACC denies leaking Bronwyn Pullar’s name. It’s not credible that they would act so high risk and so politically. Boag and Pullar clearly didn’t leak it. So, that leaves Collins and her office. Collins denied leaking the email to the media … but leaves a fair bit of wiggle room, doesn’t it? The tipline is, as they say, running hot – and the name on everyone’s lips is Lusk. More soon.

Joyce for National leader?

Written By: James Henderson - Date published: 10:23 am, March 28th, 2012 - 36 comments

Ipredict reckons there’s 60% odds Key won’t be National leader in 3 years. Whether you think that’s too low or high, it brings an important fact into resolution – the next National leader is in Parliament, probably a minister right now. People talk about Parata but she’s a lightweight. Collins and Joyce are the options. Mike’s just had a look at Collins’ style, let’s examine Joyce’s.

Hubris in pink

Written By: Mike Smith - Date published: 9:35 pm, March 27th, 2012 - 23 comments

“Crusher Collins up close” headlines a two-page article by Andrea Vance in the Saturday March 10 DomPost. It’s not on the Stuff website but deserves a wider audience. John Key might have been unwise to have stayed away on holiday this week – he should remember what happened to Jim Bolger.

Russian roulette with Collins

Written By: Zetetic - Date published: 2:25 pm, March 27th, 2012 - 14 comments

“Ms Collins strenuously denies hints by opposition parties that her office was involved in leaking Bronwyn Pullar’s information to the media. She says only herself, one staff member, chairman John Judge and ACC’s chief executive had the information”. Hmm. 4 people, at least 1 head to roll. Not hard to see where this going. Playing Russian roulette with Collins is where she pulls the trigger but aims the gun at you.

NRT: More information thuggery

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 11:34 am, March 24th, 2012 - 18 comments

NRT with yet another example of the Nats’ intimidation tactics.

Meanwhile the economy…

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 10:54 am, March 23rd, 2012 - 15 comments

Plenty of high-profile bad news headlines for the Nats. At least it takes the focus of the boring old economy.

Nats back down from ACC privatisation why not asset sales?

Written By: James Henderson - Date published: 10:56 am, March 16th, 2012 - 16 comments

National has backed down from privatising ACC’s work account. To make it work, they were going to have to pump up ACC levies and make it pay a dividend to the Crown to make prices high enough for the private sector to compete. A sign of how weak the government is that they couldn’t push this through. Problem is, the same logic applies to asset sales.

National standards aren’t

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 9:32 am, March 16th, 2012 - 34 comments

The predicted problems created by a “national standards” system are coming home to roost already.

ImperatorFish: A Political Appointment To The Law Commission?

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 9:38 am, March 14th, 2012 - 2 comments

Scott at Imperator Fish has kindly given us permission to syndicate posts from his blog – the original of this post is here.

National appointing one of their own as member without any proper consultation – will people take the Law Commission seriously any more?

Ministry of National Significance?

Written By: Mike Smith - Date published: 9:51 pm, March 13th, 2012 - 16 comments

The trailers for John Key’s Thursday speech are calling it for a ” new super-Ministry” under the command of Steven Joyce. Merger isn’t the issue – the policy direction is. If Joyce just stays focussed on roads of national significance, mines and oil wells of national significance, and casinos of national significance it will be another waste of time reshuffle. If it becomes genuinely high quality export focussed, then it may prove worthwhile. Fingers crossed.

NRT: Judith Collins’ brazen cronyism

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 10:05 am, March 13th, 2012 - 19 comments

Seems Judith Collins has been cutting corners in the appointment of Wayne Mapp to the Law Commission. NRT has the story.

Postcards from the “brighter” future

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 11:32 am, March 10th, 2012 - 24 comments

Hey John – where’s our “Brighter Future”? Hey National voters – was this what you voted for?

Excuses excuses

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 9:41 am, March 7th, 2012 - 32 comments

Tax revenue is down, blowing a big hole in all the government’s financial projections. The Nats are in trouble and instead of looking for solutions, they’re looking for excuses.

False economy

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 11:13 am, March 6th, 2012 - 16 comments

Nationals bungling on the economy continues to damage NZ. Even their misguided state sector job cuts have failed to make significant savings…

Nat revolt over Crafars sale

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 9:15 am, March 4th, 2012 - 70 comments

Remember the hagiographies after the first hundred days of National’s first term? In the second term, things couldn’t be more different. The Sunday-Star Times has printed dozens of emails it obtained (a leak?) that were sent to Key opposing the sale of Crafar farms. Many of them are brutal comments from former National supporters. Key didn’t even provide comment for the article.