political parties

A campaign launch for the times

Written By: Zetetic - Date published: 6:56 am, October 27th, 2011 - 135 comments

Labour’s cleverly wrong-footed Brand Key with a policy-based campaign launch. Key will look out of touch playing messiah at his campaign launch while the economy burns. Labour’s ads are great. The Tories are in panic mode: they don’t feature Goff enough moans Key; they feature Goff too much cries Clare Robinson; the lighting’s wrong whines Hoots. They’re afraid to take on the message.

Ashcroft – the photo-op Key didn’t want

Written By: Mike Smith - Date published: 9:08 pm, October 26th, 2011 - 24 comments

Paddy Gower at TV3 reveals Lord Ashcroft, billionaire Tory donor and International Democratic Union treasurer, has come to talk to Key again. Just discussed politics generally, said Key. Politics yes, generally no. Ashcroft’s interests are now devoted to polling and blog communication, and he is very interested in our election. Having seen Cameron miss out on a majority, he’ll want to help Key to one here.

There, fixed it for you

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 12:15 pm, October 26th, 2011 - 23 comments

Why are the Right acting like losers?

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 9:35 am, October 26th, 2011 - 165 comments

It was meant to be so easy. With high polling and several possible support partners, National would breeze into a second term thanks to Brand Key. The man himself would carried around the country by crowds of adoring locals. It would be more coronation than campaign. So, why are National weather-vanes, Farrar and Slater, hitting the panic-button?

Do you feel lucky PREFU?

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 7:22 am, October 26th, 2011 - 72 comments

The PREFU paints a pretty dismal picture of the economy. The worst case scenario is catastrophic, and (at one in five) I think that Treasury has significantly underestimated the odds. Do you feel lucky?…

Nats in a world of their own

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 8:01 am, October 25th, 2011 - 87 comments

National’s new online ad campaign shows a roadworker with a stop sign, supposedly representing Labour (he has a red hat and red swandry so you get the point) and another roadworker with a go sign meant to represent National (although his sign is green … searching for a support partner?). It’s pretty bare-faced cheek from the party with the worst economic record in this country’s history.

Labour day

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 7:55 am, October 24th, 2011 - 16 comments

On this Labour Day it is good to see that the Labour Party is staying true to its roots, and is out there working for a labour policy to lift the wages and conditions of the workers of New Zealand.

National – putting the disaster into Disaster Management

Written By: the sprout - Date published: 12:15 pm, October 22nd, 2011 - 35 comments

New Zealand’s economy, Christchurch, Pike River, Rena – all terrible disasters to befall our country and our Government. It’s a massive challenge to respond well to such crises, and nobody really expects a magic wand, but we do have a right to expect some kind of competent, coordinated and decisive leadership response from our Government. Yet […]

Death cab for Banksie

Written By: Zetetic - Date published: 9:43 pm, October 20th, 2011 - 170 comments

Another Epsom poll has ACT’ stuffed. Goldsmith: 37%; Banks: 24%; Parker: 17%. However, it also says the blue-rinsers will obediently tick Banks if Key explicitly tells them to. But will he? Will the chance of saving 2% ACT be worth the nationwide loss of votes from linking Key’s brand to that mess of a party? His equivocating suggests the Nats haven’t decided.

National’s undeserved reputation

Written By: Ben Clark - Date published: 11:05 am, October 19th, 2011 - 46 comments

National are seen by many as the party of business, and thus the party of the economy, who know what’s best for the country’s wallet. But the statistics don’t add up. Their reputation is undeserved.

No Dinner Dinner

Written By: Ben Clark - Date published: 10:55 am, October 19th, 2011 - 10 comments

Just a quick plug from your local Labour candidate…

No pay rises under Nats

Written By: Zetetic - Date published: 1:26 am, October 19th, 2011 - 81 comments

St. Augustine said “Lord, give me chastity, but not yet”. Was reminded of that reading the Tories’ reaction to Labour’s work and wages policy. Tories say they want you to have higher wages. But not yet. It’s always later. Once you’ve earned it. In the ‘brighter future’. And they’ll scream blue murder any time you demand what you deserve today.

Nats “help” with more cuts

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 2:11 pm, October 18th, 2011 - 23 comments

Amidst growing evidence of yet another broken 2008 election promise, John Key has nothing to offer except tired excuses and attacks on the poor.

Time for a Government

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 9:05 am, October 18th, 2011 - 38 comments

Last election it was “Time for a change”. After three years of incompetence and inaction, our priorities should be different this time…

Nat minister: we don’t want success for other people

Written By: Zetetic - Date published: 1:00 pm, October 17th, 2011 - 23 comments

Which National Cabinet Minister said to Allan Peachey “You want success for other people. You’re a very enriching person whereas the rest of us have all come from backgrounds where we look after ourselves”? It’s a pretty revealing quote. National’s ministers aren’t about the greater good. They’re in it for their own glory.

Wheelers: A typical working class tale…

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 12:10 pm, October 16th, 2011 - 6 comments

Over at Wheelers corner in the Manwatu there is this rather classic post about a conversation overheard in a cafe. It really does stand on its own as a tombstone to a departing MP.

micky savage: Is it Phil Goff’s time?

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 10:14 am, October 16th, 2011 - 88 comments

Two weeks ago I thought that Goff and Labour did not have a chance in this election. National’s lead in the polls seemed too big, the country still seemed to be in love with John Key and Goff just was not getting the media cut through necessary to change hearts and minds. Then something happened. The wheels started to fall off National’s well honed machine.

CTU on the tax switch

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 11:15 am, October 14th, 2011 - 7 comments

This press release from the CTU deserves wide discussion.

Caption Contest

Written By: the sprout - Date published: 3:02 pm, October 13th, 2011 - 15 comments

ACT Policy finally makes sense!

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 2:07 pm, October 13th, 2011 - 15 comments

Check out ACT’s policy page. It’s the most sense that they’ve ever made.

Update: They’ve fixed it. So it’s back to their usual nonsense now.

Amnesty International: Arrest Bush for war crimes

Written By: the sprout - Date published: 10:30 am, October 13th, 2011 - 22 comments

Perhaps Mr Key’s staff might like to explain to him what the implications of this development, in conjunction with the recent UN Report on NZ SAS rendering prisoners in Afghanistan and the housing of CIA operations at NZDF bases, might mean for the PM. Amnesty International (London) has issued a call to Canadian authorities to arrest […]

Key’s Katrina

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 7:16 am, October 13th, 2011 - 213 comments

One of the turning points of Bush’s presidency was the failed non-response to Hurricane Katrina. It’s starting to look now very much as if the wreck of the Rena is John Key’s Katrina moment.

Average Joe: Don Brash withdraws from Treaty debate…why?

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 12:46 pm, October 11th, 2011 - 51 comments

Dr. Don Brash has pulled out of a debate on Treaty issues to be held on TV3’s ‘The Nation’. Which is curious considering Act’s ‘one law for all’ policy is directly concerned with treaty issues. Average Joe points out his take on why Act isn’t there. Plaudits to The Nation for having the debate, brickbats to Act for avoiding the debate – at least send along the person who knows the policy….

Let the courts decide

Written By: the sprout - Date published: 9:46 am, October 11th, 2011 - 59 comments

The threat of invoking defamation is a standard tactic to intimidate those who can’t afford the legals bills to shut their mouths. Such threats are sometimes known as strategic lawsuits against public participation or SLAPPS. My understanding of Lange v. Atkinson (2000) and the qualified privilege afforded to political commentary that it enshrines, suggests there is no way […]

Chart o’ the day: failed gambit

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 11:54 am, October 9th, 2011 - 38 comments

Farrar poll sounds ACT’s death knell

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 12:09 pm, October 8th, 2011 - 40 comments

National Party pollster David Farrar has been polling in Epsom and the results are not good for the Right. Epsomites are pissed off with their seats being used as a backdoor for ACT into Parliament. They don’t like the gall of the Nats taking out Hide, slotting in Banks and expecting nothing to change. They don’t like dopey Brash.

National: Building a blighted future

Written By: lprent - Date published: 10:15 am, October 8th, 2011 - 72 comments

Since the nutters on the right at the sewer (otherwise known as the kiwiblog comments) seem to have a thing about billboards (probably because they can’t handle actual politics or actual policy). So to keep them entertained and running around like headless chickens rather than doing any actual political action – here is another billboard to keep everyone amused watching them.

Returns on investments

Written By: the sprout - Date published: 9:01 am, October 8th, 2011 - 90 comments

When John Key was elected to power in 2008, he was estimated to have a personal wealth of about 40-50 million dollars.

So how much is John Key worth now?

Doldrums

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 9:10 am, October 7th, 2011 - 48 comments

Looks like the RWC isn’t going to be the economic stimulus that we hoped. We’re stuck in the doldrums, and (just like in England) the government’s austerity programme is exactly the wrong response.

The Greens’ clever election strategy

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 12:11 pm, October 5th, 2011 - 97 comments

Once again, the Greens have the best billboards and a great policy platform. But the really clever bit is their positioning. A lot of people don’t like National’s policies and don’t want them having a majority. They like Labour’s policies but not the personnel. Enter the Greens: good policies, nice people, and, officially, willing to work with and counterbalance National.