political parties

Once too often

Written By: Steve Pierson - Date published: 2:03 pm, August 9th, 2008 - 17 comments

Last week Colin James wrote that behind National’s one-page wonder policies there was actually a substantive body of work. The publicly-released work rights policy (“workplace policy”, as the Tories call it) was only half a dozen bullet points long but James assured us there was a 34 page document backing it. OK, he hadn’t been […]

Desperate Nats reduced to bounties and bribery

Written By: Steve Pierson - Date published: 3:48 pm, August 8th, 2008 - 123 comments

When there’s a strike on, it’s common practice for bosses to offer individual workers a bonus payment to scab on their comrades and return to work. Most workers spit on such offers, they know the best outcome in the long-term comes when they stand strong; they refuse to scab because it’s in their best interests […]

On botox and pet grooming

Written By: Tane - Date published: 3:38 pm, August 8th, 2008 - 41 comments

Pansy Wong’s supposed outrage over ACC “shelling out $750,000 for staff to indulge in day spas, manicures, and botox” has nothing to do with the organisation’s health and wellness programmes and everything to do with National’s attempts to prepare the scheme for privatisation. First off, her attack is utterly dishonest. ACC, like many large employers […]

When you smile….

Written By: Dancer - Date published: 2:30 pm, August 8th, 2008 - 8 comments

Hitting the email circuit is a video on the leaks within the National party over the Hollow Men.

Quote of the week

Written By: all_your_base - Date published: 9:29 am, August 8th, 2008 - 14 comments

Maybe we should take submissions in the comments but my vote’s with Michael Cullen’s assertion from the House yesterday that the leaked tapes represent: an unorchestrated litany of truth. Classic.

It’s about principle

Written By: Steve Pierson - Date published: 9:09 am, August 8th, 2008 - 54 comments

The clamour for ‘policy’ from National is actually a slight misnomer. What Kiwis want to know is the principles that National stands for as much as specific policies. We know what the Greens stand for, we know what the Maori Party stands for, we know what Labour, NZF, UnitedFuture, and ACT stand for. But we […]

Cui bono?

Written By: Steve Pierson - Date published: 6:22 am, August 8th, 2008 - 63 comments

So, who stands to gain from National borrowing $5 billion if it becomes the Government? Ultimately, the people who lend the money are ones who walk away with the profit and in a time of international uncertainty in the financial markets and collapsing finance companies at home, speculators are looking for a safe, profitable harbour […]

Gordon Campbell on the ethics of taping politicians

Written By: Dancer - Date published: 2:07 pm, August 7th, 2008 - 48 comments

You’d be hard pressed to have missed the story on what some National MPs have been caught saying behind closed doors. We’ve seen discussions over the content, questions on the law. Now Gordon Campbell asks: …is it more unethical for a delegate to tape someone speaking candidly or a for a political party to dedicate its campaign efforts to […]

Break-in

Written By: Tane - Date published: 1:03 pm, August 7th, 2008 - 18 comments

This just in from Radio NZ: Police are investigating a break-in at the electorate office of a senior Labour MP, David Cunliffe, in Auckland. Nothing was taken in the burglary but Mr Cunliffe’s computer was apparently tampered with. Mr Cunliffe’s office has confirmed a complaint has been made to the police about the incident. Meanwhile, […]

English calls for own resignation

Written By: Tane - Date published: 12:05 pm, August 7th, 2008 - 29 comments

A reader has alerted us to this article from the NZ Herald where Bill English explains why he should resign or be sacked over his recorded statements at the National Party conference. Have a read for yourself – the analogy with the events of the last few days is perfect: National Party deputy leader Bill […]

Nats, have some pride in what you believe

Written By: Steve Pierson - Date published: 10:58 am, August 7th, 2008 - 25 comments

So, now we know that three National frontbenchers were recorded talking about a secret agenda at the cocktail do last Friday. Think about what this means: it is inconceivable that all three were somehow ‘tricked’ into talking about a secret agenda, inconceivable that all three used such “loose language” that they accidentally contradicted their party’s […]

The National Party Old Boys’ Club

Written By: all_your_base - Date published: 10:45 am, August 7th, 2008 - 17 comments

Tane’s made the point before but it’s worth making again: National may have a new frontman but at its core is largely unchanged – and since being ousted nearly a decade ago, members of the National Party Old Boys’ Club have been plotting their return to power. Political reporter Dene Mackenzie notes today in the […]

Rubbish

Written By: Tane - Date published: 10:20 am, August 7th, 2008 - 26 comments

John Key’s claims that Labour has been digging through the rubbish outside his Helensville electorate office have been dismissed by Michael Cullen this morning as paranoia. However, CCTV footage revealed exclusively to The Standard suggests Mr Key might just be onto something. Remember John, it’s not paranoia if they’re really out to get you. [Seriously […]

Hide on Nats’ woes

Written By: Steve Pierson - Date published: 4:00 pm, August 6th, 2008 - 45 comments

“the best solution is to say in private what you say in public” * Simple, really.

Collins beats up on the sick, again

Written By: Tane - Date published: 2:59 pm, August 6th, 2008 - 15 comments

The dreadful Judith Collins is once again peddling lies about sickness beneficiaries to try and soften the ground for National to throw our most sick and vulnerable citizens back into work if they ever regain power. In a press release this afternoon, Collins screams: “the latest figures showing that the number of people on the […]

Judy Kirk – “It was a young Nat”

Written By: John A - Date published: 1:36 pm, August 6th, 2008 - 94 comments

Sources tell us that National’s President was overheard yesterday to remark “We think it was one of our Young Nats” regarding the National Party Conference revelations. Not only that: ‘We think there is more to come.” Sounds like rats in the Nats.

DÃ©jÃ vu

Written By: all_your_base - Date published: 10:58 am, August 6th, 2008 - 6 comments

If you didn’t already have enough doubts about whether to trust John Key, Bill English and Lockwood Smith by virtue of the recent revelations here’s another one to ponder. A promise to resign over future policy isn’t new territory for the Nats. Neither is failing to keep it (click image for larger version).

The stolen emails defence

Written By: Tane - Date published: 10:06 am, August 6th, 2008 - 31 comments

So National has finally reverted to the ‘stolen emails’ defence to combat the damaging recordings from the weekend’s party conference. I’m only surprised it’s taken them this long – the misdirection tactic is classic Crosby Textor and it’s served the Nats well in the past. My guess is that National was hoping Bill’s humiliating charade […]

08wire on Nats’ Kiwibank secret agenda

Written By: Steve Pierson - Date published: 9:48 am, August 6th, 2008 - Comments Off on 08wire on Nats’ Kiwibank secret agenda

08wire.org, your videos make me smile.

Nats’ policy top 10, what’s missing?

Written By: Steve Pierson - Date published: 8:50 am, August 6th, 2008 - 24 comments

Here’s the top 10 policy priorities that John Key bullet-pointed at the conference on Sunday. See if you can spot what’s missing: 1. Tax cuts. (for the rich) 2. Disciplined Government spending. (while borrowing huge amounts for unspecified government spending) 3. Stop growth of public service. (except Nats’ promises already require about 1000 more public […]

Did Lockwood mis-speak too?

Written By: Steve Pierson - Date published: 8:14 pm, August 5th, 2008 - 94 comments

It has been revealed that Bill English isn’t the only senior Nat who has been discussing a secret agenda behind closed doors. On TV3 tonight, a recording was played of Lockwood Smith saying: “There’s some bloody dead fish you have to swallow… to get into Government to do the kinds of things you want to […]

Kiwisaver cuts to fund Nats’ tax cuts?

Written By: Steve Pierson - Date published: 4:54 pm, August 5th, 2008 - 16 comments

So, the rumour is that Kiwisaver will be slashed to fund National’s tax cut policy. Currently, the Government spends up to the following on each Kiwisaver member: – $1000 on sign-up – Up to $1040 a year in matching contributions – Up to $1040 a year in tax credit to employers – 30% tax deduction […]

News coverage of English revelations

Written By: all_your_base - Date published: 11:59 am, August 5th, 2008 - 9 comments

Here’s the segment on the English meltdown from TV One last night. [I wanted to put up TV3’s as well – it’s good coverage, including interviews with KiwiBank customers – but I just can’t seem to deal with their flaky video stream (anyone else have problems with it?)]

Sarcophagus

Written By: Steve Pierson - Date published: 11:29 am, August 5th, 2008 - 9 comments

After a stunning attack on John Key last night, Bill English is now reverting to more standard National techniques for handling ‘accidental frankness’. Initially, deny. When played a recording, claim not to remember it. When that doesn’t kill the story, claim to have ‘mis-spoken’. Finally, attack the source. It’s the same pattern we saw with […]

Meltdown

Written By: Steve Pierson - Date published: 10:36 pm, August 4th, 2008 - 90 comments

The English tape has exploded into a massive scandal. You’ll be familiar with the content of the recording: – English mocks voters as greedy simpletons taken in by a flashy con-man “they’re saying that nice Mr Key, he’s pretty smart, he will get me some more” – He claims Key doesn’t understand basic trade-offs in […]

Hilarious

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 11:20 am, August 4th, 2008 - 56 comments

Greens on National’s plan to borrow to build more roads: “Lonely dinosaur seeks white elephant“

Spin-busting: ‘A growth problem, not a debt problem’

Written By: Steve Pierson - Date published: 10:42 am, August 4th, 2008 - 28 comments

To justify borrowing for tax cuts, National’s new line is that New Zealand has ‘a growth problem, not a debt problem’. Untrue. (source) New Zealand’s growth has been faster in recent years than trend, faster than it was under National, and faster than growth in our major trade partners. We are in a shallow recession […]

Behind closed doors

Written By: Steve Pierson - Date published: 7:55 am, August 4th, 2008 - 69 comments

The scandal over Bill English’s comments at the National Party conference has not only overshadowed Key’s purposely vague conference announcements, it has derailed National’s entire election strategy. The audio is damning. Clearly and unequivocally, we have National’s Deputy Leader saying National will ‘eventually’ (possibly within a first term) sell Kiwibank. English not only says National […]

Key’s vision: tax cuts for rich, more debt for youse

Written By: Steve Pierson - Date published: 3:39 pm, August 3rd, 2008 - 71 comments

In a speech described by attendees as ‘more bullet points’, John Key announced to the National Party conference today that National would borrow $5 billion more over 6 years to finance infrastructure – specifically roads and the broadband ‘plan’. The money-man has dressed it up cleverly, of course. A fancy new class of ‘investment vehicle’ will be […]

A quick Brethren reference

Written By: Dancer - Date published: 10:56 pm, August 2nd, 2008 - 121 comments

At last an upfront acknowledgement of the Exclusive Brethren’s support for National during the 2005 election campaign. According to Colin Espiner: Day One of National’s annual conference is nearly over and so far the biggest clanger has been departing Tauranga MP Bob Clarkson’s thank-you to the Exclusive Brethren during his departing remarks to delegates. There was […]

Spinbusting: Nats’ borrowing not for tax cuts

Written By: Steve Pierson - Date published: 10:58 am, August 2nd, 2008 - 75 comments

Today, Bill English is outlining National’s plan to undo the work of the past fifteen years and take this country further into debt. He will argue that National would not be borrowing for its programme of tax cuts for the wealthy, rather it would borrow for investment. That is a lie. We already borrow for […]