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Young Nats run away from public debate on TPP
Written By: - Date published: 7:00 am, March 5th, 2016 - 47 comments
Surprisingly and refreshingly, the Young Nats initially agreed. A date was set, a venue booked, and promotion of the debate under way.
On the flag debacle and John Key’s supposed popularity
Written By: - Date published: 7:03 am, March 3rd, 2016 - 108 comments
Key is running from the flag debacle, further evidence that “preferred PM” and “popular” are not the same thing.
Supercity IT cost blowout
Written By: - Date published: 7:02 am, March 2nd, 2016 - 70 comments
The real costs of the Auckland IT merger are at least six times higher than National’s original $200 million estimate. This significantly alters the economic case that was made for the “supercity”. Was National’s estimate deliberately wrong, or was it just incompetent?
Bridges to Nowhere
Written By: - Date published: 9:13 pm, February 29th, 2016 - 37 comments
Lying, incompetent or duped. One of these descriptions applies to Transport Minister Simon Bridges. He’s been sprung allowing Kiwirail to mothball a rail line he has repeatedly said was not under threat. What did he know and when? If he didn’t know, why the hell didn’t he know?
Fuster and Cluck ride again?
Written By: - Date published: 1:39 pm, February 27th, 2016 - 13 comments
John Palino has all but announced that he will also stand for the super city Mayoralty and there is a rumour that Simon Lusk will be his campaign manager.
The flag change campaign’s last throw of the dice
Written By: - Date published: 3:11 pm, February 23rd, 2016 - 133 comments
The pro change Flag Campaign has been launched on Social Media using themes that will appeal to progressives about the need for change. The problem is what they want it to be changed to.
Latest Colmar Brunton poll result
Written By: - Date published: 10:57 am, February 22nd, 2016 - 202 comments
The latest Colmar Brunton poll result suggests that it is not all doom and gloom for the left.
Homosexual law reform happened 30 years ago
Written By: - Date published: 9:16 am, February 21st, 2016 - 95 comments
Some thoughts on yesterday’s gay pride parade and why National has in the space of 30 years changed from being deeply anti gay rights to being superficially in support.
Another poverty report to ignore
Written By: - Date published: 10:19 am, February 20th, 2016 - 72 comments
Another report on child poverty for the Nats to ignore.
The responses to the Bain report leak
Written By: - Date published: 8:26 am, February 20th, 2016 - 47 comments
A review of some commentary about the leak of information from the Bain compensation claim report includes a comment from David Seymour which is surprisingly good.
Someone wants to crush Bain’s compensation claim
Written By: - Date published: 7:34 am, February 18th, 2016 - 142 comments
Leaks to the Herald about details from the report investigating the compensation claim by David Bain suggests that the Government is moving to refuse the claim.
Back Stabbers
Written By: - Date published: 11:32 pm, February 17th, 2016 - 111 comments
The National Party Caucus is split and divided over John Key’s vanity project, the flag referendum. For the first time, there have been leaks to the media directly from within Team Key. The signs are ominous for the PM.
Shock Horror media bias exists in New Zealand
Written By: - Date published: 8:31 am, February 15th, 2016 - 85 comments
Claire Robinson has analysed press use of photos during the 2014 general election campaign and has concluded that the major newspapers exhibited substantial bias in favour of Prime Minister John Key.
John Key, Nikki Kaye, and Maggie Barry booed off the stage
Written By: - Date published: 7:00 am, February 15th, 2016 - 202 comments
National Ltd™ MPs Nikki Kaye and Maggie Barry were also subject to the same vociferous booing. Nikki Kaye’s speech lasted less than John Key’s 20 second effort while Maggie Barry didn’t even bother trying to speak.
Key’s Bitter Legacy; Gareth Hughes Nails the PM’s Vanity.
Written By: - Date published: 11:06 am, February 12th, 2016 - 218 comments
The Green’s Gareth Hughes delivered a blistering speech in reply to the PM’s statement to the House. It begs the question ‘what will Key’s lasting legacy be?’. A failed flag referendum? Poverty? Inequality? Corruption? Selfies with AB’s?
As Key’s star fades, the less he seems to have left us to remember him by. What was the point of him anyway?
Establishment appointed Council protects Establishment
Written By: - Date published: 5:21 pm, February 11th, 2016 - 39 comments
So National’s appointed ECan (undermining democracy since 2010) has decided that leading business man Hugh Fletcher & Chief Justice Sian Elias shouldn’t be fined for their cows sh!ting in a lake. National were accused of taking voting rights so they could favour dairy over Christchurch, and this seems a good example. Canterbury has suffered enough – it needs democracy back.
Northland Fishing Competition
Written By: - Date published: 2:25 pm, February 11th, 2016 - 35 comments
Winston Peters has stitched John Key up again, this time hook, line and sinker. When Key lied in Parliament about the Northland MP’s supposedly leisurely lifestyle, Peters offered a challenge: provide some evidence or donate $100k to charity. Will cowardly Key take the bait?
Key’s sham “consultation” an insult to Māori
Written By: - Date published: 10:19 am, February 11th, 2016 - 17 comments
Last week 95bFM tweeted some audio from a Key media session, which shows his “consultation” with Māori over the TPP to be a condescending sham.
Leave Josie Butler alone
Written By: - Date published: 3:56 pm, February 10th, 2016 - 83 comments
Stuff is asking the employer of Josie Butler, thrower of the fake sex toy at Steven Joyce, if it will take disciplinary action against her for protest activity taken while she was not at work.
National the party of economic lunacy
Written By: - Date published: 10:02 am, February 10th, 2016 - 166 comments
A “$17 billion hole in the economy”. An estimated $18 billion lost because National stopped investing in the super fund. A record national debt. And we’re still talking about tax cuts? Lunacy!
Private group sells tickets to Prime Minister’s official speech
Written By: - Date published: 7:30 am, February 10th, 2016 - 56 comments
It has become clear that John Key’s recent SOTN speech was delivered to an audience that paid for the privilege of attending.
The Whitehead Report does not exonerate Murray McCully
Written By: - Date published: 9:28 am, February 7th, 2016 - 11 comments
The Whitehead report into the circumstances surrounding the failed waiver of diplomatic immunity for the Malaysian attache charged with sexual assault charges has been released and blames the incident on an inadvertently worded email. But questions remain about why Murray McCully only took active steps after media broke the story and the effects his reorganisation of MFAT has had on its ability to do its job.
20,000 protesters – 0 arrests
Written By: - Date published: 7:03 am, February 5th, 2016 - 230 comments
Despite the travesty inside SkyCity, what was happening outside was in many respects a democratic nation at its finest.
The TPPA day of shame
Written By: - Date published: 7:00 am, February 4th, 2016 - 224 comments
Undated: The TPPA has now been signed, but not ratified, and not (hello NZ Herald!) “passed in to law”. There have been widespread protests throughout Auckland.
RNZ had live coverage with John Campbell.
A tale of two States of the Nation speeches
Written By: - Date published: 8:57 am, February 2nd, 2016 - 6 comments
The State of the Nation speeches provide an interesting start to the political year. John Key’s speech borrowed Labour Green policy that until now the Government has consistently derided and tried to present it as a “kickstart” while Andrew Little’s tertiary education policy announcement has received almost universal support and National is struggling to work out what attack lines to use.
Good money after bad into the bottomless pit of charter schools
Written By: - Date published: 10:37 am, January 29th, 2016 - 73 comments
Yesterday the Nats confirmed the closing of a failed Northland charter school. Turns out we’ll be paying an extra $400,000 for the first quarter of this year, even though the school will not open. Brilliant.
Anyone seen the rockstar economy lately?
Written By: - Date published: 10:30 am, January 28th, 2016 - 56 comments
Record debt, a higher than expected deficit and a credit rating downgrade on our economic outlook. All thanks to National’s genius economic management!
New Zealand drops down World corruption free index
Written By: - Date published: 8:14 am, January 28th, 2016 - 21 comments
New Zealand used to be rated as the least corrupt country in the world. Over the past couple of years we have dropped to second and now to fourth. The cynical way that the Government handles OIA requests is the main reason for this occurring.
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.
Ratana – LIVE
Written By: - Date published: 3:05 pm, January 24th, 2016 - 46 comments
Te Reo Putake is live blogging the visits of politicians to Rātana pā during the weekend celebration of the life of church founder Tahupōtiki Wiremu Rātana. The shadow of the TPPA hangs over the weekend; how will our political leaders address this latest attack on Te Tiriti o Waitangi?
Fisiani Gets it Right
Written By: - Date published: 6:41 pm, January 23rd, 2016 - 211 comments
Let’s get this straight. Fisiani’s on-going sycophantic love-in with John Key may be nauseatingly embarrassing to read, but this does not make him necessarily wrong. Unforeseeable circumstances aside, John Key will see out five or six terms in office. He will then likely hand over to his carefully anointed National party successor. National will govern […]
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