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English still digging

Written By: - Date published: 8:03 am, June 24th, 2017 - 36 comments

Burying the last shred of his credibility in a deep hole forever, Bill claims that nobody realised Todd Barclay recording of secretary might be a crime. It’s like the events of 2008 and 2011 never happened.

Bill English is no John Key

Written By: - Date published: 9:00 am, June 22nd, 2017 - 37 comments

During Dirty Politics John Key was able to stand in front of a group of reporters and with complete confidence make a series of statements the veracity of which was dubious.  Bill English has shown this week that he does not have that ability.

Barclay debacle recap

Written By: - Date published: 6:05 am, June 21st, 2017 - 73 comments

From twitter, Holy shit, someone in NZ did some journalism and all hell breaks loose.

National’s Todd Barclay problem

Written By: - Date published: 8:24 am, June 20th, 2017 - 112 comments

Newsroom has released details about how National handled the police investigation into Todd Barclay’s alleged illegal wiretapping suggesting that Bill English thought it had occurred and that the complaint was dealt with in part by a payment from John Key’s Prime Minister’s fund.

Bridges and flouting the OIA

Written By: - Date published: 7:03 am, June 17th, 2017 - 18 comments

Simon Bridges tried to block the release of a report on a Kiwirail proposal. The Ombudsman warns against flouting the Official Information Act. But it’s a well established pattern of behaviour with this government.

UNICEF on our appalling child welfare record – but apparently we don’t care

Written By: - Date published: 8:22 am, June 16th, 2017 - 199 comments

UNICEF has another major report ranking the wellbeing of NZ kids 34th out of 41 developed countries. This is not new news, and apparently a lot of voters just don’t give a damn.

Debt to Income Loan Limits

Written By: - Date published: 7:56 am, June 15th, 2017 - 116 comments

this is not the hope you were looking for

The possible introduction of debt to income lending ratios will potentially have an enormous effect on New Zealand’s housing market.

New Zealand folds and apologises to Israel

Written By: - Date published: 10:34 am, June 14th, 2017 - 81 comments

New Zealand has completely backed down from its original position of opposing the illegal occupation by Israel of Palestinian land and apologised to Israel for damaging the relationship.

Postcards from the brighter future

Written By: - Date published: 10:58 am, June 1st, 2017 - 3 comments

Part of an occasional series. It all seems to be going according to plan.

National’s social media is starting to suck

Written By: - Date published: 8:13 am, May 31st, 2017 - 46 comments

National’s social media have chosen a picture that sums up its policies well.

Government was advised the Accommodation Supplement increase will not work

Written By: - Date published: 8:25 am, May 29th, 2017 - 70 comments

Radio New Zealand has reported that the Government ignored two year old treasury advice to implement the increase in the accommodation supplement.

Nat tactics Ngaro and third term arrogance

Written By: - Date published: 10:27 am, May 24th, 2017 - 41 comments

Ngaro has fronted up with another grudging apology. English should have fired him and it speaks volumes of third-term arrogance that he hasn’t.

The possible privatisation of Ports of Auckland

Written By: - Date published: 8:59 am, May 19th, 2017 - 134 comments

The Government is attempting through coercion and cajoling to get Auckland Council to privatise Ports of Auckland.

National’s long history of intimidation

Written By: - Date published: 9:27 am, May 16th, 2017 - 36 comments

It isn’t just third term arrogance. Ngaro is merely the latest example of National’s long history of attacking, intimidating, and trying to silence critical voices and facts. Take a stroll with me down memory lane…

National’s messy Israel position

Written By: - Date published: 8:31 am, May 16th, 2017 - 18 comments

National’s shifting position on Israel suggests all is not happy within National’s ranks.

Alfred Ngaro reprimanded for being “naïve”

Written By: - Date published: 7:54 am, May 15th, 2017 - 52 comments

Alfred Ngaro has apologised to the Prime Minister for threatening the funding of voluntary organisations critical of the Government, not for expressing the views or even thinking them but for being naïve.

National threatens Government critics with loss of Government contracts

Written By: - Date published: 9:31 am, May 14th, 2017 - 78 comments

Alfred Ngaro has told a National Conference that critics of the Government can expect to lose Government support for proposed contracts.  And that Labour prompted concern about families living in cars.

Mental health problems are a figment of our imagination and the work of anti government protesters

Written By: - Date published: 11:33 am, May 10th, 2017 - 17 comments

according to Health Minister Jonathan Coleman

Reshuffle

Written By: - Date published: 8:08 am, April 24th, 2017 - 52 comments

Bill English is to announce a cabinet reshuffle today.  What should he do?

National has some strange candidates – Pakuranga

Written By: - Date published: 9:25 am, April 18th, 2017 - 86 comments

National is selecting some unusual candidates. One of them is Simeon Brown a devout chrisitian with very conservative views who is replacing liberal National MP Maurice Williamson.

Resource Management Act Third Reading

Written By: - Date published: 9:53 am, April 6th, 2017 - 19 comments

Nick Smith’s RMA reforms are close to being completed. Will his high homes for the reforms be met?

Conflict of interest what conflict of interest?

Written By: - Date published: 9:00 am, April 3rd, 2017 - 22 comments

The lobbying body for fishing industry and Nathan Guy who is the responsible minister think there is no conflict of interest in the lobbying body inheriting huge powers previously held by the Ministry for Primary Industries.

National’s policing problem

Written By: - Date published: 12:09 pm, March 30th, 2017 - 48 comments

National is facing increasing public concern about the ability of the police to do its job properly.

What does National do about English?

Written By: - Date published: 8:45 am, March 27th, 2017 - 51 comments

John Key has claimed that the transfer of power from himself to Bill English was flawless and designed to ensure continuation of National’s rule.  Based on the last couple of opinion poll results he should reconsider his optimism.

Hit and Run – time for an inquiry

Written By: - Date published: 10:37 am, March 22nd, 2017 - 21 comments

Nicky Hager and Jon Stephenson’s book Hit and Run makes a compelling case for the Government to conduct a full inquiry to see if New Zealand forces were complicit in the killing of innocent men and women and if there was a cover up.

Nothing to fear, nothing to hide

Written By: - Date published: 2:55 pm, March 21st, 2017 - 14 comments

Todd Barclay has chosen to co-operate fully with the police investigation into his actions by getting a lawyer and refusing to say anything to them.

National’s water problem

Written By: - Date published: 8:03 am, March 21st, 2017 - 48 comments

The Government’s timid backdown on water charging is placing it in a very uncomfortable position.

National’s flawed RMA ripoff still failing

Written By: - Date published: 7:22 am, March 15th, 2017 - 13 comments

Maori Party Co-Leader, Marama Fox, is playing hardball over Nick Smith latest attempts to weasel out of commitments on the deeply flawed RMA changes that National has spent the last few years trying to find any support for in Parliament. The bill is crap. The Maori party should just drop it regardless how many baubles they think they will get from it.

Nick Smith is a disgrace

Written By: - Date published: 1:00 pm, March 14th, 2017 - 32 comments

In a functioning democracy Nick Smith’s handling of the Resource Management Bill should result in him losing his ministerial warrant.

National accuses John Key of shying away from the hard issues

Written By: - Date published: 8:35 am, March 6th, 2017 - 61 comments

Shambolic scenes as Bill English’s twitter account tweets criticism of John Key not taking the hard decisions regarding superannuation eligibility, then the tweet gets deleted. And Bill did not know the tweet had been sent out.

Who would have thunk that Government’s approach to housing is inadequate

Written By: - Date published: 10:46 am, March 2nd, 2017 - 34 comments

Radio New Zealand has reported on a review of the Government’s housing policy which described it as fragmented and lacking a robust plan but it took intervention by the Ombudsman to have the review released.

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  • Shifty Bill jumps the shark
    Bill English's claim today that it has never been established that Todd Barclay's recordings of his staff took place is bizarre and shows a complete lack of honesty and leadership, says Labour’s Finance spokesperson Grant Robertson.  "Todd Barclay told Bill ...
    Labour
    16 hours ago

  • Te Ture Whenua – gone by lunchtime?
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    Labour
    1 day ago

  • Bill English ignorance of law beggars belief
    For Bill English to claim he and others in the National Party didn’t realise the law may have been broken in the Todd Barclay taping scandal is simply not credible, says Leader of the Opposition Andrew Little. “The Prime Minister ...
    Labour
    2 days ago

  • Government ignored advice on Pacific people’s superannuation
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    Labour
    2 days ago

  • Bill English misleads Parliament on Police statement
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  • PM’s leadership in question over Barclay affair
    The Prime Minister must belatedly show some leadership and compel Todd Barclay to front up to the Police, says Labour Leader Andrew Little. “Twice today Bill English has been found wanting in this matter. ...
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