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Dutch Court declares war on climate change

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 8:34 am, June 25th, 2015 - 36 comments

A Dutch Court has ordered the Dutch Government to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 25% within five years and has stated that developed countries should take the lead in doing so. It makes you wonder if a similar case could be conducted in New Zealand. Update: Greenpeace protesters have erected a large banner on Parliament which sums up the Government’s approach very well.

#Sheepgate – did National ask the Saudi Sheep Farmer to sue NZ?

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 8:36 am, June 24th, 2015 - 42 comments

It seems crazy but it appears that National may have asked the Saudi sheep farmer to sue New Zealand. And John Key seems to be relaxed about facilitation payments aka bribes.

More political interference in State Broadcasting

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 1:49 pm, June 23rd, 2015 - 43 comments

It appears that shortly after a meeting between the Minister of Maori of Affairs Te Ururoa Flavell and head of Maori TV Paora Maxwell occurred a potentially embarrassing planned televised debate concerning Whanau Ora was cancelled. Of course the timing is completely accidental and Flavell had nothing to do with it …

Polity: Reductio…

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 2:56 pm, June 22nd, 2015 - 29 comments

Rob Salmond at Polity: DPF and Chris Bishop have conspired to come up with a new canard-of-distraction de jour. Today’s trope: “Labour are the conversatives, National the progressives, and Labour is the party of No.”

National running short of coalition partners

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 8:17 am, June 20th, 2015 - 14 comments

There’s a lot of chatter about the Conservative Party at the moment, but the Nats are the only ones who have a reason to care.

National muppets

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 2:40 pm, June 19th, 2015 - 23 comments

It’s not what you think…

More Nat infighting

Written By: Natwatch - Date published: 10:57 am, June 19th, 2015 - 24 comments

Williamson lashes out at Bridges. The Nats would usually prefer to handle this sort of conflict behind behind closed doors.

Bridges scandal

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 9:27 am, June 19th, 2015 - 22 comments

Another Nat scandal to add to the list. Rob Salmond demolishes Bridges.

Keep on rocking in the free world

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 8:19 am, June 19th, 2015 - 25 comments

Donald Trump has attracted adverse comment for using Neil Young’s song “keep on rocking in the free world” during his campaign launch. There are a number of other examples, both local and in the US, where right wing candidates have misappropriated progressive musicians’ music for campaign purposes.

Enter Sandman

Written By: te reo putake - Date published: 6:57 pm, June 18th, 2015 - 52 comments

Nathan Guy reckons he knows what killed hundreds of kiwi taxpayer funded lambs in the dodgy Saudi Arabian model farm. Believe it or not, this time it’s not Labour! No, it’s the Sanding of the Lambs.

A partial list of current scandals

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 9:01 am, June 18th, 2015 - 64 comments

For those of you who are keeping score at home.

#Sheepgate the cabinet papers

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 8:26 am, June 18th, 2015 - 18 comments

The Sheepgate cabinet papers have now been released and show no sign of a legal dispute between the Saudi Sheep farmer and the Government, let alone one that required a payment of $4 million dollars. And there are concerning reports that three quarters of the ewes on the “model farm” have died.

The Government’s Auckland Housing policy fiasco grows

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 7:59 am, June 16th, 2015 - 20 comments

The Herald has reported that, contrary to John Key’s assurances that the Government did not have to do so, one of the pieces of land set aside for the Government’s affordable housing partnership with private developers has already been offered to iwi under right of first refusal.

Smith embarrassed as Iwi propose legal proceedings over Auckland housing

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 7:51 am, June 15th, 2015 - 60 comments

Ngati Whatua and Waikato-Tainui have announced that they will seek a declaration from the High Court on their rights to participate in the constructing of social housing on Crown land in Auckland. Their proposal that the Crown joins with them in making a joint application is a good one. Surely Nick Smith will agree to this.

Costly government

Written By: Stephanie Rodgers - Date published: 3:00 pm, June 14th, 2015 - 43 comments

This is the true irony of National governments. Their entire platform is one of “fiscal responsibility” and “good economic management” yet time and time again they spend money the way I did when I was a teenager: false economies and short-term wish fulfilment.

Heartless government

Written By: Stephanie Rodgers - Date published: 3:00 pm, June 13th, 2015 - 123 comments

A few stories of recent weeks which show exactly what kind of government we have.

#Sheepgate – it was the official’s fault

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 1:51 pm, June 11th, 2015 - 48 comments

National is appearing to be changing tack and trying to now blame a junior official rather than the Labour Party for the failure to complete the Gulf Free Trade Agreement. And the promised release of the relevant cabinet papers proving it was all Labour’s fault has still not occurred.

Nick Smith on housing then and now

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 7:02 am, June 11th, 2015 - 66 comments

In 2013 Nick Smith promised an effective housing WOF. Yesterday he said “People dying in winter of pneumonia and other illnesses is not new.” Has National ever kept a constructive sounding social policy promise?

Relationships Aotearoa to close today

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 8:50 am, June 9th, 2015 - 19 comments

Relationships Aotearoa is closing its doors today, as a result of ineptitude and indifference on the part of the Government. Claimed safeguards are looking incredibly shaky. Only three of the five organisations touted to take up the work are prepared to do so. And MSD has caused upset to the Privacy Commissioner by misrepresenting his views.

The shame of poverty in NZ

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 7:11 am, June 6th, 2015 - 30 comments

According to the Ministry of Social Development child poverty is worse in NZ than in any European country. According to the Child Poverty Action Group new figures are going to show an increase in poverty. According to the coroner a damp unhealthy state house contributed to the death of a child. Welcome to the “brighter future”.

O’Brien on health and safety

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 9:22 am, June 5th, 2015 - 22 comments

Tova O’Brien has written an excellent piece on squabbles within National over health and safety legislation, calling it a disgrace and a power-play by the Collins faction.

Sheepgate and National’s last defence: Labour does it too

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 11:51 am, June 4th, 2015 - 43 comments

John Key yesterday went on the attack and implied that Labour did something about Sheepgate in 2007. What it was he did not say but the implication was that Labour did it too. A brief review of dirty politics shows that this is alway’s National’s desperate last line of defence. Update: Labour tried to table in Parliament the Cabinet Paper that John Key talked about yesterday and National refused leave …

Sheepgate: the McCully mess

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 8:33 am, June 3rd, 2015 - 20 comments

The media have joined opposition demands that Murray McCully’s actions in relation to sheepgate are investigated. If John Key really expects high standards from his ministers this is the least that should be done. Update: And a claimed “independent audit” of the tender process was conducted by none other than MFAT.

The stupidest idea this Government has had yet

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 9:15 am, June 1st, 2015 - 92 comments

One News has reported that the Government is on the verge of introducing Social Bonds whereby investors in social services will be rewarded if targets are met.

Peter Talley is now a knight

Written By: Natwatch - Date published: 8:16 am, June 1st, 2015 - 129 comments

The Queens Birthday Honours List has been announced with Peter Talley’s contribution to philanthropy being rewarded with appointment as a Knights Companion.

Money for nothing and the sheep are for free

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 8:36 am, May 29th, 2015 - 38 comments

The legal suit offered as part justification for the Government paying $11 million to a Saudi businessman was apparently “off the table” at the time that Cabinet agreed to the payment. So why was the payment made? And why didn’t Murray McCully tell this to Cabinet or to Parliament earlier?

All our eggs in the dairy basket

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 12:27 pm, May 28th, 2015 - 157 comments

This government has been artificiality buoyed by a diary boom, now the bust leaves us highly exposed.

Sheepgate

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 8:54 am, May 28th, 2015 - 103 comments

It has emerged that the New Zealand Government has paid money to a Saudi businessman allegedly to settle a legal dispute that does not exist but more probably to persuade the Saudi Government to enter into a free trade agreement. Update – and maybe there was a threat of legal action but because of the actions of National, not Labour.