political parties

National’s Epsom branch to back National in Northland

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 9:38 am, March 12th, 2015 - 15 comments

No need for Mr Gower to get all hot and bothered over this “dirty deal”, it’s just National’s Epsom branch backing the National candidate.

Key crosses a bridge too far

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 8:00 am, March 12th, 2015 - 127 comments

I kid you not but John Key thinks that Dotcom and Hager prevented him from announcing the Northland bridge decaboondoggle. And Sabin is having no effect on the by election campaign.

Save the Paturoa Kauri

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 7:00 am, March 12th, 2015 - 63 comments

A message from the team at #saveourkauri who are attempting to preserve a 500 year old Titirangi Kauri facing the chop. Update: Auckland Council has narrowly voted against supporting the Waitakere Ranges Local Board’s opposition to the felling of the tree.

Northland’s decaboondoggle bridge building programme

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 7:10 pm, March 10th, 2015 - 37 comments

National’s proposal to double lane ten Northland bridges has some unusual aspects. Seven of them were not in the region’s Regional Land Transport Program such was their priority in the scale of things. And one is apparently right next to National candidate Mark Osborne’s home …

John Key’s weird “gotcha” moment on ACC

Written By: Stephanie Rodgers - Date published: 5:00 pm, March 10th, 2015 - 41 comments

John Key and his MPs were acting like they’d scored a real hit on Andrew Little in Question Time. The reality is … not so impressive.

Polity: Pork bridges

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 3:28 pm, March 9th, 2015 - 40 comments

A sudden enthusiasm for local infrastructure projects on the eve of a tight by-election. What a remarkable coincidence! I wonder whether the cost/benefit ratios on these bridges are up to scratch? Last year National bribed people in the general election. OIA time

Labour Listens in Newtown

Written By: Mike Smith - Date published: 7:36 pm, March 8th, 2015 - 15 comments

Thousands came to Newtown today for the Annual Fair on a beautiful sunny Wellington day. The Labour party stall was right in the middle and instead handing out lots of leaflets had a big sign saying “Tell us what you think” – and they did – have a look.

Little: ACC levies need to come down

Written By: Stephanie Rodgers - Date published: 2:30 pm, March 8th, 2015 - 30 comments

A National government which loves to cut taxs + workers and business being overcharged ACC levies = levy cuts, right? Wrong!

Key’s credibility and the Snowden leaks

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 9:03 am, March 8th, 2015 - 71 comments

The Sunday Star Times has reported on the set up and reach of the Waihopai Spy Base. Key’s statement that the GCSB does not have the physical capability to conduct mass surveillance appears to be not true.

Gender pay gap still growing – of course

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 12:18 pm, March 7th, 2015 - 42 comments

Tomorrow is International Women’s Day. In New Zealand the gender pay gap is growing – perhaps because National abolished the Department of Labour’s Pay and Employment Equity Unit.

Northland Polls; Horrorshow for National

Written By: te reo putake - Date published: 10:19 am, March 6th, 2015 - 204 comments

The first polls in the Northland by-election are grim reading for National. It looks likely that Winston will win and National will lose their Parliamentary majority. Have the Tories snatched defeat from the jaws of victory?

Is mass surveillance of Kiwis occurring?

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 8:49 am, March 6th, 2015 - 112 comments

The latest Snowden revelations that New Zealand has been collecting bulk data from various Pacific Islands and handing it to the NSA suggests that mass surveillance of New Zealanders is happening, despite promises to the contrary.

Expect more zero-hours crisis cases

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 8:15 am, March 5th, 2015 - 8 comments

Today is not a good day for workers. Employment law changes that take effect today weaken workers’ rights and will result in more cases of zero-hour contract “excesses”. Labour’s Iain Lees-Galloway has been doing good work on this issue (sign the petition). In contrast National’s position now appears confused, with Workplace Relations & Safety Minister Michael Woodhouse acknowledging problems even as today’s changes make matters worse.

NZ spies on its Pacific neighbours

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 6:29 am, March 5th, 2015 - 170 comments

Nicky Hager and the Herald have reported that the GCSB has been collecting data en masse from New Zealand’s pacific neighbours and handed it over to the Americans for inclusion in xkeystore.

On Northland

Written By: lprent - Date published: 1:44 pm, March 4th, 2015 - 117 comments

I’ve been getting tired of the fantasy elections that some political commentators seem to enjoy playing. Currently the fantasises is in Northland, with the same old tiresome lines. It is a pity that most of those playing this game don’t ever seem to think about the behaviours of real voters, real candidates, and real parties.

Nats getting squeamish on zero hour contracts

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 10:14 am, March 4th, 2015 - 61 comments

Zero hour contracts are the logical end point of National’s agenda for employment legislation. But last night Workplace Relations & Safety Minister Michael Woodhouse promised legislation to “prohibit the worst excesses”. “Excesses” in the free market – who would have thought?

Why are we going to war?

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 8:20 am, March 4th, 2015 - 125 comments

National’s justification for going to war against ISIS suffers from two fundamental problems, it is supporting an Iraqi regime that is corrupt and working against the best interests of all of its people, and there is no plan to convert Iraq into a sustainable state.

Local Bodies: A Luddite Led National Government

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 4:01 pm, March 3rd, 2015 - 25 comments

The development of new knowledge and technology is growing at a faster rate than ever before and successful businesses generally have to remain at the cutting edge of their industries to survive. But National likes the obsolete extractive industries from early last century.

Political donations and conflicts of interest

Written By: Stephanie Rodgers - Date published: 12:30 pm, March 2nd, 2015 - 53 comments

Whether it’s about election donations or portfolios, some people do seem to think MPs should always get the benefit of the doubt.

Brassneck

Written By: te reo putake - Date published: 12:21 pm, March 2nd, 2015 - 64 comments

The release of the candidate donation returns has shown us that the National Party are still rorting the system. However, there are issues for the NZ Labour Party as well. Four MP’s have taken money from sources that do not have the interests of the Labour party or, indeed, the majority of Kiwis at heart. Brassneck or bought and sold?

Andrea Vance on Andrew Little’s “dream run”

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 9:32 am, March 1st, 2015 - 20 comments

Andrea Vance on the Labour leader’s first 100 days in office.

Slane: National’s clubs

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 1:26 pm, February 28th, 2015 - 25 comments

national's clubs

Nats laundering donations (as ever)

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 10:09 am, February 28th, 2015 - 28 comments

National have found new ways to launder their donations. Makes you wonder what they’re hiding.

Winston: We Will Fight Them on The Beaches of Northland!

Written By: te reo putake - Date published: 1:29 pm, February 27th, 2015 - 376 comments

NZ First leader Winston Peters is to stand in the Northland by-election. A three way race between NZ First, Labour and National will make for an interesting campaign and factors outside of National’s control may determine the result.

Labour’s new president

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 11:22 am, February 27th, 2015 - 17 comments

Congratulations to Nigel Haworth who has been elected President of the Labour Party and commiserations to Rob Gallagher.

Politician salary rises and the minimum wage increase

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 7:30 am, February 27th, 2015 - 106 comments

John Key has yet again asked the Remuneration Authority to limit the increase in MPs pay. And yet again they have said that the law required them to make the decision they did. So MPs get a hefty raise at the same time that the minimum wage is raised slightly. And the media report Key’s comments sympathetically. He is the Prime Minister. If anyone can change the law he is the person best placed.

John Key channels Clarke and Dawe

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 7:16 pm, February 26th, 2015 - 27 comments

David Parker recaps Key’s bluster on his Donghua Liu dinner, and it’s pure comedy.

NRT: John Key on MP’s pay rises

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 3:26 pm, February 26th, 2015 - 36 comments

John Key has said today that he has urged the Remuneration Authority not to give MPs a salary increase. Get that feeling of deja vu? Idiot Savant at No Right Turn explains why.

Andrew Little; leadership, loyalty and lasting the distance.

Written By: te reo putake - Date published: 1:19 pm, February 26th, 2015 - 64 comments

Its 100 days since the NZ Labour Party elected Andrew Little as its leader. What an inspired decision that has turned out to be! Little has galvanised the party, united the caucus and looks set to be the next PM. How has he turned Labour around?

Carmel stood down for possible conflict of interest

Written By: lprent - Date published: 6:48 pm, February 25th, 2015 - 231 comments

Carmel Sepuloni’s mother has had charges of benefit fraud being laid against her. Andrew Little has done the sensible thing and stood down her as its social development spokesperson. While I’m sure that we will still get the dribbling trolls, this is how potential conflicts of interest should be handled. Updated.

Polity: Excluded middle

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 2:59 pm, February 25th, 2015 - 24 comments

National counterattack line on Iraq is now out and about, courtesy of National’s tester and parrot of lines – National pollster David Farrar at Kiwiblog. It consists of two contradictory lines about Labour. Also neither line is true. But they are just there for the ‘journalists’ to mindlessly repeat in the evening news.