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The more complete Donghua Liu timeline
Written By: - Date published: 2:34 pm, February 22nd, 2015 - 90 comments
Yesterday’s Herald revealed that Donghua Liu made a second donation to National in 2013 which was repaid to him after last year’s election. A brief timeline was provided but in the interests of greater understanding I thought a fuller timeline would be helpful.
Charter schools mess – what a surprise
Written By: - Date published: 10:35 am, February 21st, 2015 - 193 comments
One of National’s first five charter schools is a failure, and applications for new charter schools have been cancelled. Who could have predicted such a mess? Just about everybody…
Bain’s compensation claim
Written By: - Date published: 9:00 am, February 20th, 2015 - 293 comments
Amy Adams announced yesterday that $600,000 worth of legal reports about the Bain claim for compensation were going to be junked. Judith Collins has some explaining to do.
Nats bungle Bain process
Written By: - Date published: 6:30 pm, February 19th, 2015 - 52 comments
A new review of compensation for David Bain. Another fine mess courtesy of Collins/Slater and National.
Novopay cost us $45 million
Written By: - Date published: 7:56 am, February 19th, 2015 - 102 comments
It was announced yesterday that Novopay has cost the country $45 million more than intended. The Ministry of Education has accepted some responsibility but in terms of ultimate responsibility the Ministers involved, English, Parata and Foss should be held to blame.
SkyCity Insider trading?
Written By: - Date published: 2:36 pm, February 18th, 2015 - 24 comments
SkyCity’s share price went up just before the recent Government announcement of the deal with SkyCity. Winston Peters wonders if some insider trading was involved.
SkySore broken by design
Written By: - Date published: 9:00 am, February 18th, 2015 - 14 comments
So the Nats spent $250,000 working out that an Auckland convention center needed 3500 seats to break even, and are now about to be delivered a center wtih 3000 seats.
Labour’s Betrayal Continues
Written By: - Date published: 6:35 am, February 18th, 2015 - 440 comments
It might well be in Labour’s best interests to cut the crap now and go into coalition with the National Ltd™ Cult of John Key. It would be the honest thing to do. Kiwis will then know where the boundaries lie and who actually is working to oppose the implementation of the wider neo-liberal ideology.
The right to strike
Written By: - Date published: 12:00 pm, February 17th, 2015 - 54 comments
Celebrate International Right to Strike Day on 18 February by sending a message to Kiwi employers: stop undermining our right to strike!
Free houses?
Written By: - Date published: 9:22 am, February 17th, 2015 - 188 comments
That may be what it takes to interest charities in becoming “social housing” providers.
The house always wins
Written By: - Date published: 11:01 am, February 16th, 2015 - 23 comments
The flaws in the process whereby SkyCity promised a free convention centre in consideration of legislative changes are now clear to see. Through an act of brinkmanship SkyCity has embarassed the Government and caused it political damage. And it has achieved a return for investors, the legislative changes will be the same despite there now being a smaller cheaper convention centre.
Third termitis
Written By: - Date published: 9:44 am, February 15th, 2015 - 69 comments
The John Key led National Government is showing signs of third termitis. Symptoms are a confusion of the national interest with National Party political interests, a willingness to sell state houses and pay the proceeds to large corporates when even your best friends are saying don’t, a staleness and inability to handle issues properly and being completely bereft of new ideas to improve the country. The condition is almost inevitably terminal.
Paula Bennett and beneficiaries should be given the benefit of the doubt
Written By: - Date published: 10:00 am, February 13th, 2015 - 33 comments
A staffer in Paula Bennett’s ministerial office has apparently mistakenly withdrawn cash from the Ministerial credit card. The money has been paid back and no harm caused and no further action should be necessary. If only Bennett extended to beneficiaries the same tolerance of predictable mistakes.
Key is in reverse gear about Sky City
Written By: - Date published: 5:30 pm, February 12th, 2015 - 103 comments
The focus group results are in and John Key is backing off from the Government injecting further money into the SkyCity convention centre.
If only Key was as passionate about climate change
Written By: - Date published: 8:18 am, February 12th, 2015 - 43 comments
John Key gave a somewhat rousing speech about how New Zealand would not stand back when dealing with the ISIS tyranny. It made me wonder why he is not passionate about dealing with a problem that has the potential of wrecking much of the world’s environment and making much of it it uninhabitable.
Say NO to the $140m SkyCity bailout
Written By: - Date published: 12:32 pm, February 11th, 2015 - 86 comments
The Labour Party is organising a petition against the $140 million bailout SkyCity is demanding – and John Key is insisting we have to pay to prevent getting an “eyesore” of a convention centr
Sky City’s playing us for suckers
Written By: - Date published: 8:14 pm, February 10th, 2015 - 87 comments
Sky City crying too poor to build a bigger casino – give us a break, please! Casino expert Sudhir Kale estimated the extra pokies gained by Sky to be worth $35million over figures used by government. That’s for year upon year to 2048. It could cover any casino upgrade in four years. Either Joyce and Key are being played for suckers, or they are playing the rest of us for suckers. The deal stinks.
The SkyCity Deal
Written By: - Date published: 1:11 pm, February 10th, 2015 - 76 comments
Eighteen months ago Stephen Joyce said about the Sky City Convention Centre deal that anything not written down was not happening. It appears that he was wrong as John Key softens us up for more public money being spent on a private convention centre.
The Sallies do not like Government’s housing policy
Written By: - Date published: 8:30 am, February 10th, 2015 - 61 comments
The Salvation Army has all but ruled out being involved in the Government’s Social Housing unless it is provided with capital. And if divestment occurs it considers that tenants should have a role in governance of the houses they live in.
The War Club Family
Written By: - Date published: 7:35 pm, February 8th, 2015 - 73 comments
There’s a fascinating article in the latest New Statesman titled “An Empire that speaks English: the right’s dream of a new world order.” Suddenly UK Foreign Minister Philip Hammond’s recent visit here makes sense. So does John Key’s references to sending troops to Iraq on behalf of the “club” or the “family” – he’s at the heart of the Empire.
Tino Rangatiratanga
Written By: - Date published: 7:51 am, February 8th, 2015 - 309 comments
It has been claimed that Andrew Little has advocated for Maori to have law making powers. What he has done is reflect on a recent Waitangi Tribunal decision which concluded that Maori never ceded sovereignty to the Crown and properly concluded that this is an issue that needs to be considered.
Police told the Government about Sabin’s problems
Written By: - Date published: 7:30 am, February 7th, 2015 - 218 comments
Police Commissioner Mike Bush has essentially confirmed that under the no surprises policy the Police told either Anne Tolley or Michael Woodhouse or both about the Police investigation into Mike Sabin. The issue will be when they were told. If this occurred before the time that Labour told the Prime Minister’s office about Sabin’s difficulties the veracity of what John Key has told us will have to be questioned.
Andrew Little – principled politician
Written By: - Date published: 11:35 am, February 4th, 2015 - 302 comments
Issues surrounding Mike Sabin highlight the handling of the matter by Andrew Little. With commendable restraint he chose to privately notify the Prime Minister’s office that one of his MPs faced problems. And his recollection of matters is clearly better than Key’s recollection.
The Sabin issue timeline
Written By: - Date published: 12:08 pm, February 3rd, 2015 - 277 comments
An analysis of the timeline and a reading of Cameron Slater’s comments concerning Mike Sabin raises real questions about the veracity of what Key has been saying to the media. Update: It appears that David Garrett and Rodney Hide have expressed views wondering if Key’s statement about when he was told is actually correct. Update: And Matthew Hooton suggests that the Police may have advised the Government of the invesigation.
What did Key know about Sabin’s issues?
Written By: - Date published: 11:18 am, February 2nd, 2015 - 116 comments
Now that Mike Sabin has resigned attention is on what John Key knew and when.
The Northland by-election
Written By: - Date published: 2:30 pm, January 30th, 2015 - 163 comments
A by-election is imminent – so how does Labour win in a safe National seat?
National MP Mike Sabin resigns
Written By: - Date published: 11:56 am, January 30th, 2015 - 151 comments
UPDATED: Northland MP Mike Sabin has resigned.
Questions on Key’s housing sell-off
Written By: - Date published: 7:12 am, January 30th, 2015 - 71 comments
Key’s state house asset sale policy doesn’t make sense at any level, and the questions are piling up…
NRT: An untenable position
Written By: - Date published: 3:02 pm, January 29th, 2015 - 27 comments
I/S at No Right Turn on the Mike Sabin situation. “For the sake of propriety and the integrity of our justice system, Sabin must be stood down”…
John Key’s housing announcement
Written By: - Date published: 9:00 am, January 29th, 2015 - 119 comments
John Key’s housing announcement contained very little new information. Work has been put in for the past couple of years in developing the policy. The net effect will be that the Government will have more money for other capital projects not related to emergency housing. It will keep its fingers crossed that charities can pick up the slack. And the risk is that not one new house will be constructed at a time of intense need.
Imperator Fish: A clarification
Written By: - Date published: 3:50 pm, January 28th, 2015 - 31 comments
Sexist right-wingers are lining up to abuse Eleanor Catton for speaking her mind. The odious Sean Plunket is the worst, calling Catton a “hua” (sounds like and sometimes defined as “whore”). Imperator Fish responds…
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