national

Cheap and nasty

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 8:49 am, August 17th, 2013 - 36 comments

Having been burned by the cheapest tender and the leaky building fiasco, the Nats say that they have now worked out that the cheapest tender is not necessarily the best. (Brilliant eh?) If only it was true that they had really learned the lesson…

Nat housing policy panned

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 7:07 am, August 13th, 2013 - 31 comments

Labour and The Greens are clearly setting the agenda with a strong focus on housing affordability. National are struggling to catch up. But their new policy has been met with a chorus of criticism. They are going to have to do a lot better than this.

This is/is not democracy

Written By: karol - Date published: 1:05 pm, August 12th, 2013 - 106 comments

The Nats’ PR-managed conference stifled democratic debate & bright ideas, and diverted from significant issues.  Armstrong attempts to talk it up, while exposing Key’s win-at-all-costs ruthlessness. Meanwhile: speakers announced for democratic meeting to Kill the GCSB Bill [Updated – Hagar also speaking]. [Update: Gordon Campbell – ‘Nanny National‘]

Sexism

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 2:51 pm, August 10th, 2013 - 68 comments

My colleague Eddie had a go at Phil Goff this morning for dickish remarks, and fair enough too. But in the interests of keeping things in perspective, just a reminder as to which is the sexist party here…

Hands-on National

Written By: Bunji - Date published: 8:04 am, August 10th, 2013 - 19 comments

It doesn’t suit the Labour Party narrative – and indeed it’s not their espoused philosophy – but every now and then National can’t help but be “hands on”. We’ve had the South Canterbury Finances in the past (won’t somebody think of the shareholders!), but this week was a real doozy for it, between Fonterra, Tiwai Point and Chorus.

Fonterra scandal and deregulation

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 8:15 am, August 9th, 2013 - 72 comments

Stuff’s Pattrick Smellie makes the case that the Fonterra scandal is a product of deregulation. The lesson here is that Mike Joy and other scientists are right. To protect its environment, its brand, its exports and its economy, NZ needs to strengthen regulatory protections and clean up its act.

Another $30 Million to prop up Meridian sale

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 10:08 am, August 8th, 2013 - 55 comments

John Key just spent another $30 Million of tax payer’s money to prop up his privatisation ideology.

Bob Jones – National vs Labour on the economy

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 7:08 am, August 8th, 2013 - 84 comments

In an otherwise typically dull piece in The Herald recently, Bob Jones finished up with a typically blunt assessment of the impact of Labour and National governments on the economy. It seems that Jones can acknowledge the truth that most right-wingers try and deny.

Chorus of opposition to Key-Dunne spying Bill continues

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 9:45 am, August 7th, 2013 - 15 comments

Yesterday Opposition parties filibustered, and successfully delayed the passage of the Key-Dunne spying Bill. This buys more time to protest, and to put pressure on MPs.

We have never before seen in New Zealand such a broad and ongoing chorus of opposition to government legislation as we are seeing with this Bill. Just yesterday alone…

The brighter future

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 7:20 am, August 5th, 2013 - 151 comments

Welcome to John Key’s “Brighter Future”. Here are some headlines: “Violation speaks ill of our democracy”, “Chilling attacks on freedom”, “Govt betrayal on a monumental scale”, and many more…

John Key trashes the Constitution

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 8:14 am, August 2nd, 2013 - 55 comments

John Key is getting into the habit of trashing important constitutional principles.  The freedom of the press, the independence of Parliamentary Services and the principle that even the Prime Minister is subject to Parliament and the Privileges Committee have all been attacked recently.  What next?

The magical world of New Zealand’s, Neo-Liberal right wing.

Written By: KJT - Date published: 6:06 am, August 1st, 2013 - 83 comments

It has been obvious that some people live in a different world than the rest of us. One where Chicago school economics, work! One where you save the village by blowing it up! One where global warming can be stopped, Canute like, by legislation. One where dropping wages and giving everything to bloated financiers, makes […]

The non-resident property speculators are….?

Written By: karol - Date published: 10:03 am, July 30th, 2013 - 50 comments

An NZ Herald Editorial exposes John Key’s politically motivated spin against Shearer’s housing policy, but also takes some swipes at the “left”. Gower misleads, by repeating Key’s “anti-Asian” smears, supported by the eg of a website targeting South African property speculators.

Poverty Watch 41

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 12:31 pm, July 27th, 2013 - 3 comments

Welcome to Poverty Watch, a weekly update on National’s lack of response to the urgent and growing issue of poverty in NZ. This week, the NBR “rich list” and the sick joke of “trickle down” wealth.