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- David Farrar (95)
- dpf (194)
Not PC on John Key’s lies
Written By: - Date published: 2:57 pm, October 12th, 2011 - 17 comments
Trenchant criticism of the beleaguered PM today from an unusual source. Well worth clicking through to read the whole post, here’s the main points…
Let the courts decide
Written By: - 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 […]
The right’s weird obsession with Darien Fenton
Written By: - Date published: 8:00 pm, October 3rd, 2011 - 261 comments
Darien Fenton makes a mean comment about a celebrity butcher on facebook and then apologises for it and offers to shout him a drink to make up for it.
No big deal? Well according to some hysterical righties that makes Fenton worse than Hitler.
Diverse hypocrites
Written By: - Date published: 7:22 am, September 7th, 2011 - 69 comments
National is the party of middle aged white guys, but according to their chief spinster we shouldn’t care…
Farrar: Ironically being political and shallow
Written By: - Date published: 11:00 am, September 4th, 2011 - 66 comments
Reading the political spin from David Farrar (channeling Bill English) over the weekend, I have to keep reminding myself that he really has very little idea about the practicalities of business. Where he is concerned about political costs, I find from a perspective of an exporter that I’m far more concerned about reliability of services.
Worlds apart
Written By: - Date published: 12:10 pm, September 1st, 2011 - 47 comments
Spotted in an English pub. Check out the artist’s name.
The new political battleground
Written By: - Date published: 9:12 am, August 30th, 2011 - 23 comments
Rijab looks at how social media can be a useful tool for political parties but how it also needs to be used carefully, lest it come back to hurt you. Red Alert and Frogblog are very free, with MPs writing what they want and relatively loose moderation, whereas NationalMPs is insipid and tightly controlled – who has taken the smarter course?
In search of a justification
Written By: - Date published: 7:40 am, August 12th, 2011 - 122 comments
Farrar and others of the Right push for ever lower taxes, but their arguments are laughably flimsy. Tax cuts don’t raise revenue. Tax cuts don’t cause growth. In search of their “superior moral justification for selfishness” the Right are going to have to do a lot better than that…
The answer to violence
Written By: - Date published: 8:08 am, July 25th, 2011 - 71 comments
The tragic events in Norway raise many questions, and there are no easy answers.
Yet more dodgy Nat numbers
Written By: - Date published: 6:56 pm, July 18th, 2011 - 61 comments
If you’re a blogosphere regular, you’ll have noticed that recently every monkey with a copy of the Fountainhead and a crush on John Key has been spouting the line that the top 10% of taxpayers pay 71% of net tax. Sounds incredible, eh? That’s because it’s not credible. It’s more cheap tricks from the Nats.
Distasteful
Written By: - Date published: 10:40 am, July 16th, 2011 - 47 comments
DPF thinks that comparing Lockwood Smith to a KKK member is “a pretty disgusting smear”. Could this be the same DPF who ran a billboard campaign comparing Labour government politicians to brutal dictators?
Cleaning up Kiwiblog
Written By: - Date published: 3:28 pm, July 8th, 2011 - 43 comments
It’s a tough job, but somebody has got to do it…
Why blog?
Written By: - Date published: 12:04 pm, June 18th, 2011 - 59 comments
In which r0b ponders why he blogs, and decides to come out. Very boring and predictable, I promise.
Scaremongering on credit cards
Written By: - Date published: 7:22 am, June 16th, 2011 - 100 comments
The Nats’ blogging poodles are still trying to spread disinformation about credit card details (we have the proof). Are they just stupid, or do they know they’re spreading lies? Either way it amounts to the same thing, they are deliberately trying to upset innocent members of the public. The usual scummy tactics.
The silence of the poodles
Written By: - Date published: 8:31 am, June 15th, 2011 - 87 comments
National’s first dirty tricks operation of the 2011 election campaign has ended in an embarrassing own goal. But they’ll be back with more of the same. Because the last thing National wants is an election campaign focused on the issues.
Blown up in National’s faces
Written By: - Date published: 6:26 am, June 14th, 2011 - 385 comments
National’s raid on Labour donor data was a grubby, amoral little operation, with no point except to intimidate innocent individuals.
Unfortunately for the Nats it has blown up in their faces.
Thank you donors!
Written By: - Date published: 7:34 am, June 13th, 2011 - 126 comments
At 9am today Slater is probably going to publish a list of some of the donors to the Labour Party. A big thank you to every person on that list! To anyone who is angry at being named, please don’t blame some hapless web admin working for Labour. Please blame the people who took this information and illegally made it public.
Blame Goff?
Written By: - Date published: 4:14 pm, June 10th, 2011 - 61 comments
There are far more similarities than differences in the Hughes / Goff and Worth / Key affairs, but that doesn’t stop the Right trying to rewrite history and blame Goff!
How close is too close?
Written By: - Date published: 7:20 am, June 3rd, 2011 - 54 comments
How close should corporate interests be allowed to cuddle up to the government? When is a gift not a gift? If it isn’t influence what is it?
The Greens have raised important questions surrounding Westpac and the Nats.
The Jackel’s week that was
Written By: - Date published: 1:42 pm, May 29th, 2011 - 10 comments
Radioactive elements detected in breast milk due to Fukushima crisis, Ratko Mladic arrested, oil drilling protests here and abroad, tax breaks for rugby organisations (aren’t we already paying for their World Cup?), and Kiwisaver cuts that start this year with no mandate – all in the Jacke’s week that was
Jackel’s week that was
Written By: - Date published: 8:11 pm, May 14th, 2011 - 2 comments
This week in The Jackel’s week that was: deepsea oil protests continue, Prince Charles against business as usual, child poverty, Libya, bees, onshore oil protests, US flooding, Nats prepare for cuts as we pay for their mistakes, ACC’s hardline savings come at a price, Wikileaks, and more!
War Nerd on Al Qaeda
Written By: - Date published: 11:10 am, May 3rd, 2011 - 13 comments
The best US blog is eXiledonline. They’ve done huge work to expose the Tea Party and its shady backers. Their insight into the class issues underlying economic crisis both raw and diamond-sharp. And one of their writers, Gary Brecher aka the War Nerd, covers conflicts with eyes wide open. Here’s his take on Al Qaeda, coincidentally written last week:
Farrar in an act of pure vanity…
Written By: - Date published: 12:57 pm, May 1st, 2011 - 64 comments
In an act of pure vanity, David Farrar is whining about the a by-election that will probably be held in July – less than three months before the House dissolves for the election. Farrar even points out the relevant law Parliament can only resolve not to have a by-election if the resignation occurs within six […]
What is important to voters?
Written By: - Date published: 8:17 am, April 23rd, 2011 - 52 comments
DPF reckons “that issues of policy are less important to voters than issues of competence”. What an impoverished view of democracy! Perhaps he should look a little deeper than last week’s poll…
Whambulance needed for P North Nats
Written By: - Date published: 12:30 pm, April 16th, 2011 - 23 comments
National’s Palmerston North candidate, Leonie Hapeta, is having a cry because the Labour MP, Iain Lees-Galloway, and supporters had an anti-asset sales demonstration that happened to be outside her hotel. It’s one thing for a n00b like Hapeta to cry about politics but surprising that Farwhaa and Wail-oil joined her.
Welcome to the Stroppery
Written By: - Date published: 11:31 am, April 16th, 2011 - 18 comments
The brilliant haranguer and occasional guest poster here Queen of Thorns and a few of her mates have launched a new blog, The Stroppery.
It looks like it’ll be a bloody good read.
Elitist Nats divorced from everyday Kiwis
Written By: - Date published: 11:00 am, April 15th, 2011 - 49 comments
National pollster David Farrar reckons that its sweet for the elite to spend $100 a head on meals at the taxpayer’s expense. Same time as he’s sneering at a woman struggling to get by feeding four people on $200 a week. This is National’s New Zealand. The best for the elite. Cat food for the rest.
Leadership rumours: Foreshore Bill passed
Written By: - Date published: 10:39 pm, March 26th, 2011 - 64 comments
The latest media frenzy about a Phil Goff coup is rapidly dying down. The Government passed some controversial legislation in double-quick time with little coverage and somebody made a killing on iPredict. Coincidence?
Some free advice for National
Written By: - Date published: 10:59 am, March 9th, 2011 - 20 comments
Hey National – stop lying and inventing dodgy stats to try and prove that we’re all better off. The tax cut received by most people was derisory, and the cost of living is shooting up fast. Even the Kiwiblog heartland isn’t buying the lies. If you can’t convince them, you can’t convince anyone…
Farrar fluffs food figures
Written By: - Date published: 11:28 am, March 7th, 2011 - 51 comments
I thought that with a devastating earthquake, a record oil/food price spike, an unemployment tsunami, and a double-dip recession that the Nats’ apologists might have realised it was time for honest discussion of the issues and solutions. Instead, they’re still trying to bury our heads in the sand.
Truly Stranded
Written By: - Date published: 11:30 am, March 4th, 2011 - 21 comments
One of the names that the self-inflated blogs who consider themselves to be the “taste police” give us is the unimaginative juvenile name of The Stranded. Typically this is when they are writing a silly post trying to tell us why we should think like them (I guess everyone is entitled to a unrealistic dream). Anyway I thought I’d give them some real bad taste to moan about in a Friday Fun post (warning – written in the Cactus Kate style).
- Power market is ugly and asymmetrical
Analysis: Your oven doesn’t care where the electrons came from – so customers with power plants on their roof and batteries in their homes need to be able to compete fairly with large generators The post Power market is ugly and asymmetrical appeared first on Newsroom. ...1 week ago - Jesus’s vision fulfilled: David Seymour restores unity to the church
The Christian church has had quite a few dust-ups with itself over the last 20 centuries. This week, the Act Party brought it together. Since Jesus prayed that his followers may all be one (John 17:20-21), Christians have barely stopped fighting. Yes, they’ve occasionally broken off to slaughter people in ...2 weeks ago - New to streaming: What to watch on Netflix NZ, Neon and more this week
We round up everything coming to streaming services this week, including Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, Apple TV+, ThreeNow, Neon and TVNZ+. If you love celebs out of their comfort zone: Celebrity Treasure Island (TVNZ+, starting September 9) We’re back on the beach for a new season of celebrity ...2 weeks ago
- A new festival celebrates the art of the picture book
Picture Me is a brand new book festival happening in Wellington and Christchurch between 11–28 September. Here’s the inside scoop on the international headliners and what they’ll be doing while in Aotearoa. A good picture book has a timeless quality: a story you don’t mind reading over, and over and ...2 weeks ago
- Some home truths about gene technologies
In response to criticism of proposed changes to our GM settings, scientist Revel Drummond says we should discuss the issue of regulatory change from a position of educated debate, not fear-mongering. New technologies often get pushback from sectors of society. In the 19th century people feared the unknown effects on ...2 weeks ago
- Dane and Stacey on making travel a business, owning half a dog, and finding balance
Earning money while you travel sounds like a dream to many of us – so how hard is it to make the dream a reality? Travel content creators Dane and Stacey joined Kiwibank’s This is Kiwi podcast to talk about documenting their adventures online, and remembering to sometimes put the ...2 weeks ago
- Inside the cold war between Live Nation and the Powerstation
Auckland’s best live music venue is feuding with the world’s biggest promoter. Only one side is willing to speak about what happened that fateful night in April. The artist is dressed in black, with a DJ and live drummer, and the crowd bobbing in unison to sinewy R&B. Footage from ...2 weeks ago
- Air New Zealand braces for turbulence
In today’s extract from The Bulletin, Stewart Sowman-Lund looks at the compounding pressures facing the national carrier. To receive The Bulletin in your inbox every weekday morning, sign up here. Diving profits A couple of months ago, we talked about the controversy over surging flight prices in New Zealand, with ...2 weeks ago
- Windbag: Should Wellington City Council refuse to hold a Māori ward referendum?
A new law requires councils to hold referendums – at their own expense – if they want to keep their Māori wards. But what if they just… didn’t? Wellington City Council last week joined dozens of councils around the country in a rebuke of the coalition government by voting to ...2 weeks ago
- All 85 of The Spinoff’s rankings, ranked from worst to best
The rankers become the ranked: Hera Lindsay Bird tackles the most meta ranking of them all. Agree with Hera’s ranking of our rankings? Strongly disagree? Let us know and go in the draw to win a hamper of goods ranked by The Spinoff. There’s nothing like a savagely judgemental list, ...2 weeks ago
- The Weekend: Paralympics appreciation vs everyday apathy
Madeleine Chapman reflects on the week that was. The Paralympic Games end tomorrow after nearly two weeks of incredible athletic feats. On a purely results basis, New Zealand hasn’t done that well. As of writing (Friday), we’re yet to win a gold medal and are placed 61st out of 74 ...2 weeks ago
- ‘I wish I’d never thought of it’: The Blue Monkey on Suzanne Paul’s back
The infomercial queen looks back on an eventful life in TV, filled with Coronation Street, The Blue Monkey and a lot of reality television. Suzanne Paul is a New Zealand television icon. Born and raised in England, Paul worked around the world for 20 years before she arrived in Aotearoa ...2 weeks ago
- Auckland’s secondhand bookshops, ranked and reviewed
Shanti Mathias visits and ranks the crème de la crème of Auckland’s secondhand bookshops. From Ponsonby to Grafton to Devonport to Parnell, Auckland has some lovely secondhand bookshops, many of which are huge and deserve to be browsed for hours, embracing the way that all bookstores, but especially secondhand bookstores, ...2 weeks ago
- The Spinoff Essay: An ode to tea, the universal panacea
Skimmed Alive, Earl Gravy or Peanut Safari, there’s nothing like making someone a cup of tea exactly how they like it. The Spinoff Essay showcases the best essayists in Aotearoa, on topics big and small. Made possible by the generous support of our members. ‘Corrie climax sparks power surge.’ That was ...2 weeks ago
- ‘A bogan-fuelled track to remind us where we came from’: Blindspott’s perfect weekend playlist
Damian Alexander and Shelton Woolright of Blindspott share their perfect weekend playlist. Few embody the “west is best” mindset as well as Blindspott. So, it’s probably a good thing the bogan rockers will be able to let their West Auckland sensibilities loose as a part of a supergroup comprised of ...2 weeks ago
- Podcast: Does the government have it wrong on gas?
The government is making a poor economic move with its plan to import natural gas according to Saul Griffith, renewable energy advocate and former climate advisor to Joe Biden. Saul Griffith is an author, inventor, scientist and co-founder of Rewiring America. A few years back he managed to convince ...2 weeks ago
- ‘Put down the hammer and pick up the rammer’
One builder’s quest to find a culture of sustainability in construction. This is an excerpt from our environmental newsletter Future Proof. Sign up here. “Have you ever built a sandcastle?” asks Paul Geraets, founder of rammed earth building company Terra Firma. “Everybody has. Rammed earth is the same principle.” Rammed ...2 weeks ago
- The Friday Poem: ‘Riding in Cars with (Mostly Straight) Boys’ by Josiah Morgan
A new poem by Josiah Morgan. Riding in Cars with (Mostly Straight) Boys titled after a play by Sam Brooks I Back then Kade had a death wish, driving over a hundred an hour after school, past young lads, parents, through the suburbs, cop cars, girl friends. I drove too, ...2 weeks ago
- The Unity Books bestseller chart for the week ending September 6
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington. AUCKLAND 1 Pachinko by Min Jin Lee (Head of Zeus, $25) Min Jin Lee’s novel was published in ...2 weeks ago
- The seasons change, but hope always prevails on Nadia’s Farm
The Masterchef NZ winner takes us back to the land with a new season of Nadia’s Farm. This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. It’s a warm summer’s day in Central Otago, and Nadia Lim is trying to drive a tractor. The old, ...2 weeks ago
- Pacific profiles: Meet the teacher behind NZ’s longest-running Fijian language class
The Pacific profiles series shines a light on Pacific people in Aotearoa doing interesting and important work in their communities, as nominated by members of the public. Today, Losalini Tuwere. All photos by Geoffery Matautia. Losalini Tuwere runs the longest-running (and most consistent) Fijian language class in Aotearoa. Every Tuesday ...2 weeks ago
- Limbs without limits: How New Zealand Paralympians get geared up for glory
Whether it’s for a Paralympic sprint or a simple stroll to the shops, a prosthetic limb is as individual as the person who wears it. Shanti Mathias visits the Auckland workshop where they’re created, customised and fitted. Eighteen thousand kilometres away from Paris, Kent Perkins is trying to balance the ...2 weeks ago
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