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Return of the Hollow Men

Written By: karol - Date published: 10:16 am, September 26th, 2013 - 48 comments

With Cunliffe’s Labour in the ascendance, NAct and/supporters pull out their bag of dirty and deceptively manipulative, Hollow Men, tricks. Adviser to John Key & Boris Johnson, Mark Textor, will most likely be used again: ruthless attack politics, playing on fears & prejudices.

Key loses his “Centre”, Herald spins right, Smith on the ropes

Written By: karol - Date published: 11:31 am, September 25th, 2013 - 35 comments

Cunliffe’s moderate, centre left Labour is on the rise; MSM-supported, NAct smears & negative spin is in over-drive. John Key and the NZ Herald editorial spin from the radical “neoliberal” right. Slippery Nick Smith, a NAct weak point, is under concerted pressure. [Updated]

Anti-democratic tendencies

Written By: Bunji - Date published: 6:45 pm, September 24th, 2013 - 16 comments

John Key: “I don’t think New Zealand should rush to become a republic. It may happen one day, but I can’t for the life of me see the benefits of it other than you get to spend a lot of money electing heads of state as opposed to the government appointing one.”

Have National’s asset sales officially cost more than they’ll earn?

Written By: QoT - Date published: 7:00 pm, September 22nd, 2013 - 51 comments

In a previous post at The Standard I did a wee bit of math and came to the conclusion that National has already made $5.26 billion worth of spending promises out of the Future Investment Fund, the not-actually-a-fund chunk of cash they plan to make from selling taxpayer-built infrastructure to their mates. Things have developed. […]

Cunliffe’s not so shabby question: broadband costs

Written By: karol - Date published: 12:57 pm, September 18th, 2013 - 41 comments

The MSM largely reported on Cunliffe stumbling over the word Chorus in his first question yesterday to PM Key. But Key’s answers and later replies to the media, indicate corporate-friendly, cronyist manipulations and dodgy phone advice. [Update: Coalition for Fair Internet Pricing]

John Key: Labour party expert

Written By: Bunji - Date published: 9:43 pm, September 17th, 2013 - 62 comments

As a special handy guide for political journalists I include a summary of John Key’s understanding of the inner workings of the Labour Party:

John Key’s anti-democratic government

Written By: karol - Date published: 9:31 am, September 17th, 2013 - 48 comments

John Key tries to smear the winner of Labour’s democratic leadership contest as “far left”, while his government continues in its anti-democratic, plutocratic ways: sale of Meridian to avoid referendum; Joyce’s Broadband pricing “arm twisting”.

Cunliffe declares war on National and the TPPA

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 8:05 am, September 17th, 2013 - 178 comments

Day one of Cunliffe’s leadership and he is into battle mode. He has made it clear that unity in the caucus is expected. And he has deftly raised the Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement as a political issue.

Cunliffe wins – now what?

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 12:26 pm, September 16th, 2013 - 91 comments

Day one of David Cunliffe’s tenure as Labour leader and the tone is being set. There will be unity in the party and Labour is going to take the fight to National and John Key.

Lame-duck PM?

Written By: Bunji - Date published: 7:08 am, September 12th, 2013 - 88 comments

I was discussing with some friendly folk and they were saying how much the Labour leadership contest is making Key look like a lame duck PM.

All the media is about appointing his successor.

The bankster memorandum

Written By: karol - Date published: 10:41 am, September 9th, 2013 - 160 comments

John Key honed his skills as a speculative banker. As PM, this casino capitalist has undermined democracy, & promoted international corporate interests, while beneficiaries & workers are brutalised, inequalities enhanced and NZ’s economy & sovereignty damaged. Does one Labour leader contender have his ~~number~~ measure?

Ladies and gentlemen, your Prime Minister – part 2

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 11:09 am, August 29th, 2013 - 37 comments

Here’s Key again in his ‘perky’ performance on Tuesday. This time, he’s laughing hysterically at his own old man jokes about unemployment. That’s right, he’s making jokes about the 153,000 people who are unemployed on his watch. Yeah, any fool can see the opportunity to comment on a job loss in Labour, but only a fool would think that making jokes at the expense of Kiwis who are unemployed was a good idea.

Key’s earthquake ‘fun’

Written By: Ben Clark - Date published: 7:00 am, August 29th, 2013 - 76 comments

The government suffered a major court ruling against it over their ungenerous Christchurch earthquake pay-outs – their 50% offer for uninsured red-zoned land was ruled ‘not in accordance with the law’. Brownlee promises to appeal and bury the Outcasts in debt; John Key threatens to withdraw even their 50% offer with the throwaway: ‘it’s been a lot of fun. If you don’t want to take the offer, that’s where it’s at’. Heartless.

Ladies and gentlemen, your Prime Minister

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 9:32 am, August 28th, 2013 - 66 comments

Much has been made of Key’s bizarre performance in the House yesterday. Some are naturally questioning his medical intake after his unhinged laughing at his own weak pre-written jokes in answer to Labour questions. But, for me, it was his response to Russel Norman’s questions that was more telling. His utter contempt for accountability is something every Kiwi should see.

Smell the fear

Written By: karol - Date published: 2:28 pm, August 27th, 2013 - 236 comments

John Key claims he doesn’t care who becomes the next parliamentary Labour leader, while trying to drive a wedge between candidates. As Cunliffe gains momentum, Key turns negative on Cunliffe & throws some stones in his glass house. Gordon Campbell puts things in perspective.

War on the poor: flexible super

Written By: karol - Date published: 10:20 am, August 27th, 2013 - 94 comments

Dunne’s proposal for flexible superannuation is a U-Turn for Key, while he hides behind it being a Dunne and flexible initiative & good for low income people. Sue Bradford argues against Dunne’s initiative, saying it will benefit those on higher incomes. She prefers better and universal benefits.

Collins & Key go head to head over Henry Inquiry

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 11:30 am, August 22nd, 2013 - 22 comments

Judith Collins is making a play for support among her fellow National ministers and trying to turn them against Key following Key’s contemptuous attitude to their privacy in the Henry Inquiry. At the Privileges Committee hearing into the Henry Inquiry yesterday, Collins and sidekick Anne Tolley asked why Henry thought he could look at their emails without their permission. Why indeed.

Hypocrite

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 8:47 am, August 22nd, 2013 - 19 comments

“New Zealanders will not have
confidence in [a …] bill rammed through
by a slender majority without public support
and with the backing of only the bare minimum
of parties necessary to get it through Parliament.”
— John Key, 2007.

(ht Toby Manhire)

Shame!

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 7:45 pm, August 21st, 2013 - 136 comments

So the Key-Dunne spying Bill is now law. The privacy of your electronic communications now depends on the favour of an untrustworthy PM, and the best efforts of a legal system (much derided by said PM) in interpreting a confused mess of a law / Hansard record / letter to The Herald.

Shame shame shame on all those MPs who ignored the concerns of the people who elected them and passed this travesty.

If lawyers don’t understand the law…

Written By: Bunji - Date published: 12:59 pm, August 21st, 2013 - 32 comments

Then it’s a bad law. Who does John Key think is going to interpret the GCSB law other than lawyers from the Law Commission, the Human Rights Tribunal, the Privacy Commissioner etc?

Bad law making – GCSB Bill

Written By: karol - Date published: 12:10 pm, August 21st, 2013 - 29 comments

Grant Robertson & David Cunliffe explain how the GCSB Bill is bad law (especially section 8 & related sections). It doesn’t provide adequate oversight or safeguards against the wholesale spying on New Zealanders. A clarifying statement from the PM is not good law. Andrea Vance demystifies the Bill.

RIP Groklaw

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 11:52 am, August 21st, 2013 - 28 comments

Groklaw has been an inspirational blog for many with an interest in geekery or the law. I read it daily during the years of the SCO trial. PJ and her team were and are amazing. But now it’s over. Killed by the death of privacy, and the world that the Key-Dunne spying bill is bringing ever closer to NZ.

When fear tactics backfire 2 – and GCSB roundup

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 8:20 am, August 21st, 2013 - 46 comments

John Key (the PM who has on multiple occasions overspent the budget on his own protection staff) really dug himself a hole when he accused opposition leaders of wanting to “run for the hills” in case of a terrorist attack. Not only did David Shearer get to remind him of the occasions that he has been under fire – and run to help – but now some other voices have chimed in too.

When fear tactics backfire

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 2:47 pm, August 20th, 2013 - 93 comments

John Key’s fear tactics backfired badly when he tried to smear David Shearer…

GCSB- Questions?

Written By: karol - Date published: 2:31 pm, August 20th, 2013 - 58 comments

John Key has been twisting himself out of shape answering questions about spying on New Zelanders by the GCSB under the GCSB amendment Bill that is currently before the House. [Update] Video Qu One & Three [Update] Qu 1 transcript.

Is this a question buddy?

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 9:45 am, August 20th, 2013 - 25 comments

Yesterday Scoop’s Alastair Thompson started to ask John Key a really difficult question essentially about the unprecedented powers that Key is giving to the GCSB. Key responded by walking out of the post cabinet press conference. So much for being on top of his game. And last night’s Auckland Town Hall was a stunner. The Bill is due to be debated again today. If only a Government MP or Peter Dunne would develop some principles …

Would you trust this politician?

Written By: Bunji - Date published: 12:46 pm, August 19th, 2013 - 25 comments

As inspired by Toby Manhire…

John Key – GCSB fool (or liar)

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 7:28 am, August 16th, 2013 - 142 comments

On Campbell Live, and on other occasions, John Key has claimed that critics of the GCSB spying bill were all wrong. The Human Rights Commission – wrong. The Law Society – wrong. The Privacy Commissioner – wrong. Dame Anne Salmond – wrong. Everyone else wrong – only he – John Key – and his secret advisors were right, and we the sheeple have nothing to fear.

Now in a stunning embarrassment it is Key that has had to admit that he was wrong. Or a liar.

Key vs Campbell: the transcript

Written By: karol - Date published: 1:22 pm, August 15th, 2013 - 272 comments

The interview of John Key by John Campbell last night on Campbell Live (on the GCSB Bill), showed what a formidable spin merchant Key can be. It is important to understand Key’s MO. This is a work in progress – transcript ~~of the first~~ ~~10.44 12.27 mins.~~ completed.