political parties

Hacked election

Written By: Bunji - Date published: 7:00 am, August 23rd, 2014 - 37 comments

John Key says the election is in danger of being stolen by a hacker. What he is afraid of is that the election is going to be “stolen” by the truth.

Greens, Labour, NZH Hot Seat: coalitions

Written By: karol - Date published: 9:53 am, August 22nd, 2014 - 13 comments

In the NZ Herald panel interviews, Green & Labour Party leaders come across extremely well.  The leaders are confident, considered and ready to govern.

John Key’s Groundhog day II

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 8:53 am, August 22nd, 2014 - 88 comments

A 2011 press conference video has cast further doubt on John Key’s claim that he did not know about the release of sensitive information to Cameron Slater.

Updated: The recollection of Tucker doesn’t match what John Key said in 2011. What spaghetti explanation will Johnnie give today.

Shrinking violet

Written By: Bunji - Date published: 2:04 pm, August 21st, 2014 - 14 comments

John Key’s told media they don’t need to talk to him about Judith Collins and her Cameron Slater choices, they should talk to her as she’s no shrinking violet…

But Radio NZ, The Herald, TV3 and I imagine all other media have been trying to contact her for days.

John Key’s groundhog day

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 10:00 am, August 21st, 2014 - 52 comments

Poor John Key must think he is in the movie Groundhog Day. The media clearly do not accept his explanation for Dirty Politics. And each day further information comes out which casts more and more doubt on the veracity of what he has been saying.

Labour’s campaign video

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 3:38 pm, August 20th, 2014 - 36 comments

Labour has launched its campaign video.

National’s campaign video and Eminem

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 1:01 pm, August 20th, 2014 - 69 comments

In 2008 National breached copyright by using a song suspiciously like Coldplay’s Clocks.  The DVD had to be withdrawn.  It may not have learned as its latest campaign video has music that sounds suspiciously like an Eminem song.  Has it learned and does it have permission?

Dirty Politics roundup

Written By: Bunji - Date published: 11:46 am, August 20th, 2014 - 21 comments

Pot pourri, grab bag… Nicky Hager’s sister’s response, Media Take, John Key’s wanting to talk about policy, political passion, at the end of the day…

Valuing child care: beyond ‘show me the money!’

Written By: karol - Date published: 10:36 am, August 19th, 2014 - 10 comments

Simon Collins has published a very good article comparing various parties policies on social security.  As is the current trend, he doesn’t fully examine the deep and lasting contribution good child care & education make towards society & the economy.  It’s about material and social well-being.

Will the real National Party please stand up

Written By: Mike Smith - Date published: 9:17 pm, August 18th, 2014 - 52 comments

I think it’s likely that the emails leaked to Nicky Hager  for “Dirty Politics” have everything to do with the National Party. Nicky Hager identified the main source for his previous book “The Hollow Men” as six people from the National Party. He thanks “the National party staffer who first suggested he work on this subject” in the preface to “Dirty Politics.” It may well be that the both leaks come from the same source, and for the same reason. There will be many people in the National Party who will be disgusted at what is now being done under their name.

Key’s farcical “Don’t ask, don’t tell” routine

Written By: jononatusch - Date published: 3:04 pm, August 18th, 2014 - 40 comments

John Key is sticking to his defensive strategy: deny everything, label Hager’s book a smear campaign, and – when pressed on specific allegations – say he doesn’t know the details. There is of course a very easy way for Mr Key to become acquainted with the details, which he doesn’t seem keen to do, and that’s to simply ask the right people….

Jordan Williams words & Nat sexism

Written By: karol - Date published: 11:51 am, August 18th, 2014 - 42 comments

Helen Kelly tweeted an image of an extract from Dirty Politics, highlighting some very nasty misogynistic writing by Slater and Jordan William.  Williams replied.

Muddying the waters: transcript Key on RNZ

Written By: karol - Date published: 9:31 am, August 18th, 2014 - 81 comments

Guyon Espiner’s interview on Radio NZ today, exposes the moral failings of John Key’s leadership -as Key attempts to divert, & justify the dirty game that NZ politics has become under his watch.  Partial transcript of the interview: to be continued  Updated: Transcript completed

Metiria Turei’s speech at the Green launch

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 4:10 pm, August 17th, 2014 - 40 comments

Metiria Turei’s speech at the Green’s launch. There is a lot of interesting material in there that I will write on later.

Green’s campaign launch

Written By: lprent - Date published: 12:57 pm, August 17th, 2014 - 4 comments

I’m heading off to get some lunch before going to the Green’s campaign launch. It is (for those like me who forgot) at The details are: When: August 17, 2014 at 2pm – 4pm Where: Sir Paul Reeves Building, 86 Governor Fitzroy Pl in Auckland Make sure you put on your green t-shirts as we want to see a […]