john key

Hone stands by principles on foreshore

Written By: Marty G - Date published: 11:20 am, September 14th, 2010 - 52 comments

Stuff is reporting that Hone Harawira will not vote for the Nats’ foreshore and seabed legislation. And John Key is clearly upset. Sounds like someone needs the whambulance. Key’s just lost the ability to claim that he has genuinely circled the square, giving Pakeha and Maori both what they want. All he has really done is bought off the Maori Party leadership.

Key’s racist government

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 9:20 am, September 9th, 2010 - 62 comments

John Key promised higher standards of government. Another lie. The list of rorts, incompetences, and abuses of power goes on and on. So, it’s hardly any surprise that Key doesn’t have a problem with Maurice Williamson’s racist comments. Make no mistake – it is Key’s decision that Williamson and the rest are ministers in our government

Key: Obama’s my pen pal

Written By: Zetetic - Date published: 12:33 pm, September 1st, 2010 - 14 comments

Key says his personal relationship with Obama (met the guy twice) means he can call him. Don’t think it’s your winning grin mate. Think it’s because you’re PM of New Zealand. Anyway, this ain’t a game of collecting phone numbers, John. You’ve got to deliver something concrete. How’s that free trade deal coming?

Key slippery on crime

Written By: Marty G - Date published: 11:07 am, August 26th, 2010 - 22 comments

Yesterday, Key was boasting that his goverment had brought down robberies and burglaries in Manukau. But it’s just more numbers games. In reality, the crime rate in Counties Manukau rose 6.9% in 2009. That’s twice the already awful 3.5% nationwide increase. I’m not against the government saying it has brought down crime. I just wish that it was true.

Key govt halves price of bananas

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 9:21 am, August 25th, 2010 - 7 comments

Prime Minister John Key has credited his government’s economic policies for the price of fruit and vegetables falling by 6.5%. It’s clearly because of all those fruit and vegetable price reduction policies the government has introduced. In fact, the fruit price index is really only down 3.9% since November 2008 and vegetables are actually up 14.4%. But who are you going to believe?

McCully does have vision..

Written By: Guest post - Date published: 7:52 am, August 24th, 2010 - 17 comments

There have been a lot of complaints that Murray McCully is useless as our offshore representative and shows a complete lack of vision. Stop complaining.

John Black shows you what the alternatives could be…

Can we trust MPs while they have secret trusts?

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 1:08 pm, August 20th, 2010 - 11 comments

Registrar of Pecuniary Interests Margaret Bazley, the country’s busiest pensioner, has presented recommendations for improving the transparency of MPs’ financial interests. It seems like good stuff, but it ignores the elephant in the room – the ability of MPs to use trusts to hide their shareholdings, and their conflicts of interest, from the public.

Key backs the bully, loses a good minister

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 10:00 am, August 19th, 2010 - 24 comments

John Key allowed one of the ministers he appointed to be bullied out of her job and replaced by a man chosen by Rodney Hide, and he didn’t even ask Hide why. As more details emerge, it looks like Hide is the one in the wrong. Will Key now discipline Hide and invite Roy, who has been acclaimed as a good minister in a bad bunch, back on board? Not likely. The guy’s barely awake these days.

An Authoritarian Act

Written By: Bunji - Date published: 2:52 pm, August 18th, 2010 - 14 comments

So Rodney can’t keep 4 other people on side. The liberal and authoritarian split in Act has had its blood-letting and the authoritarians have won. Where will the neo-liberal idealogues go? And how will Epsom react to this change in philosophy in a year’s time?

How to be a lazy politician

Written By: Guest post - Date published: 3:00 pm, August 17th, 2010 - 9 comments

When John Steinbeck said “No one wants advice – only corroboration” he could well have been describing the numerous working groups the Government has established in many areas of significant economic and social policy. Too lazy to spend its nine years in opposition developing a detailed policy prescription, National now picks groups to tell it what it wants to hear.

All hail honourable leader’s birthday

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 10:25 am, August 10th, 2010 - 30 comments

Rapturous crowds of workers from the People’s Information Services spontaneously gathered in the Beehive theatrette yesterday to praise Beloved Leader of People’s Constitutional Monarchy of New Zealand, Honourable John Key, on the anniversary of his birth. “Comrades! I thank you!” said Honourable Key to the sighs of the crowd. One young cadre presented Beloved Leader with a birthday card.

Key and Peters best buddies?

Written By: r0b - Date published: 7:00 am, August 4th, 2010 - 58 comments

Key hasn’t ruled out working with Winston after 2011. This seems like a huge miscalculation. Not only has he added legitimacy to the re-animation of this political zombie, but he has also cut the legs out from under the right’s “Winston is the devil” campaign. That giant sucking sound you hear? That’s DPF’s head imploding.

Labour 12% ahead in the polls!

Written By: r0b - Date published: 10:14 am, August 2nd, 2010 - 32 comments

I’m very pleased to report that Labour has leapt to a dramatic 12% lead in the opinion polls over National! It’s looking good for 2011! Bravo Phil Goff and the rest of the Labour team.

Where’s Kate? Wanted for media avoidance…

Written By: lprent - Date published: 5:46 pm, July 30th, 2010 - 11 comments

While there are some ministers who are pretty scared of fronting up for their portfolios, Kate Wilkinson is one of the worst.

There is also this little gem about a Minister that is happy to be anywhere that Sean Plunket isn’t. I guess this image will get a lot of use. Anyone got a good caption?

The states of John Key – Conclusion

Written By: Guest post - Date published: 10:10 am, July 29th, 2010 - 28 comments

Final of a series by Guest poster Blue.

The boy who wanted to make a million dollars and be Prime Minister has got his wish. The livelihoods of 4.3 million New Zealanders are on the line for his big gamble on New Zealand’s future.