political parties

NRT: This does not bode well

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 12:30 pm, March 31st, 2015 - 22 comments

I/S at No Right Turn on the way that National is manipulating official environmental reporting to try and conceal the damage…

Drill baby drill will not work

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 11:14 am, March 31st, 2015 - 25 comments

Simon Bridges announced yesterday the release of the 2015 block offer. Potentially oil companies could be drilling in deep sea pristine environmental areas off the West Coast where the endangered Maui’s Dolphin lives. He calls for a “mixed balance” of energy generation. But all this means is that he wants the good mixed with the bad.

Bait and switch

Written By: Mike Smith - Date published: 10:58 pm, March 30th, 2015 - 64 comments

Congratulations to Labour for a very clever strategy in the Northland by-election – lulling and gulling John Key into thinking they were going to run a conventional proxy-partyvote campaign, where National would have the upper hand. Key, the rockstar politician, also thought Andrew Little would be on the training wheels. He got that badly wrong; Little’s handling was superb.

Twelve mistakes National made in Northland

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 7:39 am, March 30th, 2015 - 86 comments

There are many specific reasons why National lost Northland, but arrogance is the thread running through all of them.

LocalBodies: Northland speaks and National still isn’t listening

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 2:22 pm, March 29th, 2015 - 25 comments

Steven Joyce is adamant that Northland was unique and what it really needed was improved infrastructure such as roads and broadband. Joyce has a narrow, blinkered view of the world. Sadly the election defeat didn’t remove his blinkers or open his eyes to look at Northlands real needs.

Some random thoughts on the Northland result

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 9:51 am, March 29th, 2015 - 62 comments

Winston Peters’ win in Northland yesterday was based on turnout that was significantly higher than turnout for any other recent by election. And occurred in no small part because of some adept handling of messaging of support by Andrew Little.

Random observations

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 9:27 pm, March 28th, 2015 - 19 comments

A selection of the wit and wisdom of Twitter tonight. Compare and contrast the Labour and National leaders.

Winston takes Northland

Written By: Stephanie Rodgers - Date published: 8:30 pm, March 28th, 2015 - 310 comments

Is anyone else experiencing a bit of political shellshock?

The Northland Buy Election

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 7:01 pm, March 28th, 2015 - 201 comments

A post to allow for the discussion of the Northland Buy Election result.

Peters: Northland wants an explanation

Written By: Natwatch - Date published: 11:03 am, March 26th, 2015 - 35 comments

Stuff: “Peters says that over the next 48 hours the only thing National voters want from Key is an explanation for why they’re having a by-election in the first place.”

John Key’s Lies Since The 2014 Election

Written By: BLiP - Date published: 9:00 am, March 26th, 2015 - 109 comments

The most egregious feature remains the sheer banality. Its like John Key can’t help himself. Because most National Ltd™ voters really don’t care and because the MSM just accepts the deceit as “one of those things,” he’s been able to get away with it scot-free for more than six years.

Northland: 3News Poll Nails Nats.

Written By: te reo putake - Date published: 6:35 pm, March 25th, 2015 - 113 comments

Well, it’s pretty much a done deal now. Winston’s going to win Northland. But who’s the biggest loser?

Caption Contest: Northland Special

Written By: te reo putake - Date published: 10:00 am, March 25th, 2015 - 46 comments

Peters for Northland

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 8:30 am, March 25th, 2015 - 166 comments

Vote Winston (did I say that?) Update: Former Labour Cabinet Minister Colin Moyle thinks the same.

Osborne dodging questions over review

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 3:28 pm, March 24th, 2015 - 51 comments

Mark Osborne is the manager of a controversial ratepayer funded project that is the subject of a governance and funding review by the Far North District Council after major losses in its first two years. According to the NBR he is refusing to answer questions about it. Aren’t the voters of Northland entitled to some answers before they vote?

A tale of two no surprises disclosures

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 9:30 am, March 24th, 2015 - 34 comments

Anne Tolley was told about the prosecution of Beverley Sepuloni under the no surprises policy nearly a month before the news became public. Release of this information makes you wonder why we cannot be told the date that the Government was told about Mike Sabin’s difficulties.

Can National lose Northland?

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 11:10 am, March 23rd, 2015 - 99 comments

Is Northland getting sick of National’s panicked invasion? Will having Osborne fail to front Peters in the studio help? Could National actually lose Northland?

GCSB spied on foreign communications to help Groser’s WTO bid

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 7:32 am, March 23rd, 2015 - 133 comments

More embarrassment for the Government as it is revealed that the GCSB spied on internet communications involving diplomats competing with Tim Groser in his bid to be elected as the Director General of the World Trade Organisation.

Northland’s ghost jobs

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 9:24 am, March 20th, 2015 - 42 comments

One of National’s big claims in the Northland buy election was that they had created 7500 new jobs in Northland. Lies lies lies.

National still attacking democracy in Canterbury

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 8:45 am, March 20th, 2015 - 10 comments

The Nats’ takeover of Environment Canterbury is the greatest attack on democratic rights ever seen in this country. They are about to extend the period of imposed rule, because a fully elected body carries “too many risks”. If you think the people of Canterbury can actually be trusted with democracy you can sign the petition.

National wants to take away our right to silence

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 7:30 am, March 20th, 2015 - 109 comments

A bill designed by Mike Sabin has resurfaced this week. The intention is to take away the right to silence by allowing a Court to draw an adverse inference if someone choses to say nothing when facing certain charges. This proposal needs debate.

Collins confirms Dirty Politics

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 4:00 pm, March 19th, 2015 - 57 comments

Video from last night in Parliament where Judith Collins essentially confirmed the veracity of the information contained in Dirty Politics. And David Cunliffe had the most exquisite put down of an opponent I have seen in a long time.

Who said it? Shane Reti vs. Aaron Gilmore

Written By: Stephanie Rodgers - Date published: 12:00 pm, March 19th, 2015 - 45 comments

All these National backbenchers with delusions of grandeur sound the same to me …

Northland by election – National gets desperate

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 10:13 am, March 19th, 2015 - 37 comments

National is obviously deeply afraid of losing the Northland By Election as is clearly shown by the liberal application of pork barrel politics, the misuse of statistics, the use of Ministerial resources to help campaigning and now the bullying of a local group seeking to have a local road improved.

Shame shame shame

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 7:12 am, March 19th, 2015 - 206 comments

Last night in Parliament National voted down Harawira / Turei’s Feed the Kids Bill, David Shearer’s Food in Schools Bill, and Phil Twyford’s Healthy Homes Guarantee Bill.

How much is National’s Northland panic costing the taxpayer?

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 7:33 am, March 17th, 2015 - 147 comments

So our PM is cutting short state business for the purposes of party campaigning. Since Key invented the whole silly hats game, I guess it’s fair to ask if he still gets paid as PM when he is acting in his capacity as Party Leader? If so, why?

Two views on Titirangi’s Kauri

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 12:24 pm, March 15th, 2015 - 24 comments

Rodney Hide has published a column about the ancient Titirangi Kauri which predictably argues that land owners should do what they want. But John Roughan has argued to the contrary in an article that will make you wonder if he is actually a greenie at heart.

Labour media commentators

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 8:00 am, March 14th, 2015 - 70 comments

Self styled Labour activist Phil Quin has chosen to criticise the party’s commitment to democracy despite the clearly democratic structure the party has. And to repeat criticisms of Labour pre election despite the strong evidence of change that has occurred since. Yet the media go to Phil for comment on what is happening within the Labour Party even though I get the feeling he would prefer that Roger Douglas was still involved, despite the wishes of pretty well everyone else

Time for the Greens to transcend left vs. right.

Written By: shantiahluwalia - Date published: 5:00 am, March 14th, 2015 - 267 comments

The co-leadership race within the Greens has shown that they’re alive and kicking – if nursing a few wounds from the last election. Both Kevin Hague and Gareth Hughes have managed to enter the race with minimal belittlement – an impressive feat in itself, for a party as controversial as the Greens. Most interesting of […]