political parties

Who is to blame for Solid Energy’s failure

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 9:52 am, August 16th, 2015 - 64 comments

… and why is Solid Energy removing links to its Annual reports from its website?

TPPA Protest review

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 4:55 pm, August 15th, 2015 - 38 comments

An open post to cover the TPPA protests today. In Auckland it was big and noisy with an estimated 10,000 plus people attending. Congratulations to the organisers including Jane Kelsey and well done to everyone who turned up despite the weather. There is a lot of anger building over this issue and I am sure the […]

Williams sues Craig and Bomber takes on Police

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 2:53 pm, August 14th, 2015 - 44 comments

Two breaking news stories as Jordan Williams gets in first and sues Colin Craig and Martyn Bradbury is spoken to by police about a blog post advocating civil disobedience.

Labour did it too

Written By: Guest post - Date published: 3:00 pm, August 12th, 2015 - 13 comments

Tautoko Mangō Mata has discovered the words to a mystery song buried deep in a Crosby Textor staff manual.

Free beer for all

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 10:46 am, August 12th, 2015 - 191 comments

Diversion alert. The Government considers that urgency should be given to changing the law to allow more beer to be drunk when the All Blacks are playing during the Rugby World Cup.

#Sheepgate and the war of metaphor

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 7:57 am, August 12th, 2015 - 96 comments

The war of metaphor requires the continuous repetition of a simple statement in the hope it becomes the accepted truth. Most of the time it works. But with #sheepgate it is starting to unravel.

Colin Craig’s electoral return

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 4:32 pm, August 10th, 2015 - 43 comments

John Stringer has accused Colin Craig of filing a false electoral return. But even now it looks like the complaint may be doomed to failure.

National’s terrible deal making

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 10:20 am, August 9th, 2015 - 114 comments

A brief analysis of a number of deals that National has negotiated suggests that its reputation as a supposedly tough dealmaker is misplaced.

John Key’s brighter future

Written By: Natwatch - Date published: 3:39 pm, August 7th, 2015 - 97 comments

As milk prices plunge and Fonterra’s expected payout is cut to a level that will cause most farms to run at a loss John Key’s promised brighter future is disappearing fast.

Win or Lose: This is Labour

Written By: Bill - Date published: 3:27 pm, August 7th, 2015 - 199 comments

Some people have suggested that the more progressive parliamentary elements of the left are done and dusted. I’m not so sure…

#Sheepgate – Key’s cheerleaders are sent in

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 9:06 am, August 7th, 2015 - 62 comments

John Armstrong thinks that National has bested Labour over #sheepgate because Key keeps saying it is all Labour’s fault. And Hosking thinks the payment has a good business case despite the payment having not achieved the result that was being sought,

NZ First’s long predicted demise isn’t going to happen

Written By: lprent - Date published: 8:15 am, August 6th, 2015 - 91 comments

I am getting a bit bored with pundits proclaiming the imminent demise of NZ First. Over it’s 25 year life this has been the constant refrain from the likes of John Armstrong. The reality is that they appeal to a conservative mindset that traditionally had been part of the National parties internal coalition. They will keep eating at it.

NRT: 43,000 unemployed under National

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 11:50 am, August 5th, 2015 - 93 comments

Unemployment has risen for two quarters in a row despite the optimistic Treasury forecasts.

The dump of the #sheepgate papers

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 8:52 am, August 5th, 2015 - 97 comments

The sheepgate papers have been dumped and despite John Key’s claims to the contrary the only evidence of a change in position on live sheep exports is that of the National Government, not the previous Labour Government.

# Talleyban

Written By: te reo putake - Date published: 5:50 pm, August 4th, 2015 - 47 comments

Talleys have fired the first shots in National’s new class war. You can stand with the AFFCO workers and reject the Tories new anti-union law. Boycott Talleys. Make a stand for your fellow Kiwis.

The real reason Solid Energy is failing

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 10:15 am, August 4th, 2015 - 37 comments

There has been some discussion about the reasons why Solid Energy is facing liquidation. A brief review of its history suggests that this Government’s incompetence is a major factor.

Guest post: The flag – a change is gonna come

Written By: Guest post - Date published: 8:30 am, August 4th, 2015 - 170 comments

A guest post by Enzo Giordani about why progressives should support a change in the flag and showing his proposal for a new flag.

Let’s Lynch the Landlord

Written By: te reo putake - Date published: 9:45 am, August 3rd, 2015 - 53 comments

As The Standard said at the time, the Government’s decision to destroy Relationships Aotearoa could be a colossal stuff up. And this morning we learn that a Canterbury landlord has allowed access to the sensitive files left behind when RA closed. Anne Tolley must act or Anne Tolley must go.

Weekend reading for the Nats

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 9:02 am, August 3rd, 2015 - 14 comments

There were some good opinion pieces published over the weekend. Not comfortable reading for the Nats.

Deborah McMillan’s story

Written By: Guest post - Date published: 7:30 am, August 3rd, 2015 - 36 comments

Deborah McMillan’s husband and Skyla McMillan’s dad Shane was killed in a workplace accident five years ago. They are part of a campaign to strengthen the currently weakened health and safety legislation.

Maori language is not boring, John Key

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 8:06 am, August 2nd, 2015 - 146 comments

John Key has managed to insult an idealistic young woman and Maori at the same time by saying that her suggestion that Maori Language week should be extended was boring.

A thinking opposition

Written By: Ben Clark - Date published: 7:36 am, August 1st, 2015 - 56 comments

So the news on Labour’s first paper from its “Future of Work” Commission revolves around “ex-Labour member” Phil Quin noticing some missing quote marks and National making gleeful diversions from it. But of course what is actually important is the content.

Whitewash

Written By: Bunji - Date published: 9:12 pm, July 31st, 2015 - 55 comments

Astonishing release late on a Friday afternoon (dump time!) that the police will not be pursuing any action against Slater/Ede for hacking Labour’s website. Given a whole year to investigate, they didn’t manage to find out how to spell Nicky Hager or Tim Barnett’s names.

Shut up and take your medicine

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 7:30 am, July 31st, 2015 - 26 comments

As commentators and dairy industry insiders warn of TPP disaster, the Nats’ message to we the people is shut up and take our medicine – oh and by the way the price just went up.

John Key – Snake Oil Salesman

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 12:33 pm, July 30th, 2015 - 42 comments

John Key has tried to suggest that we have nothing to worry about planned changes to Pharmac caused by TPP. But a recent further release by Wikileaks on the effects of the Trans Pacific Partnership on State Owned Enterprises makes you wonder if the implications of TPP on Pharmac are as limited as he says.

We can do better on health and safety

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 9:53 am, July 30th, 2015 - 8 comments

Labour is proposing a set of amendments to fix the Health and Safety Reform Bill. They need the support of Peter Dunne and the Māori Party. Will they do the right thing?

We’re going to sign a rubbish deal

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 8:58 am, July 30th, 2015 - 106 comments

We’re not making progress on dairy in the TPP negotiations, but the smart money reckons we’re going to sign anyway.

Update: Read what a real journalist has to say on the current state of negotiations.

Craig suing Slater – bring popcorn

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 3:36 pm, July 29th, 2015 - 138 comments

Colin Craig is suing Cameron Slater and Jordan Williams in defamation.

Updated with booklet.

left wing leadership candidate Jeremy Corbyn well ahead

Written By: Colonial Viper - Date published: 2:34 pm, July 29th, 2015 - 25 comments

Hard lefty Jeremy Corbyn has a 22 pt lead in the UK Labour leadership race. The Labour Party Blairites are definitely not happy.

Breathless children

Written By: Natwatch - Date published: 12:39 pm, July 29th, 2015 - 46 comments

Tim Groser has some advice for us on the TPP – “We need adults to do this, not breathless children to run off at the mouth when the deal is not actually finished.”

Kia kaha New Zealand First

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 9:28 am, July 29th, 2015 - 88 comments

Winston Peters was thrown out of Parliament yesterday and New Zealand First MPs walked out in sympathy for raising points of order following a personal explanation from Anne Tolley where she corrected an answer to a parliamentary question that was clearly wrong.