making shit up
Categories under making shit up
- No categories
So much for the competitive market
Written By: - Date published: 7:02 am, July 23rd, 2015 - 18 comments
I love how right-wing ideology is just some thing that can be switched on and off at will. Case in point, ownership of state houses…
The great state house sell off – small groups need not apply
Written By: - Date published: 12:19 pm, July 21st, 2015 - 10 comments
Treasure has indicated that the sell off of State housing should occur in minimum lots of a hundred houses. Only large wealthy organisations need apply and claims that the sale was about the building of capacity amongst local social service providers cannot be reconciled with this.
Dear John Roughan
Written By: - Date published: 8:04 am, July 19th, 2015 - 41 comments
Dear John Roughan – I don’t think you’re a stupid person, but sometimes you use your platform in The Herald to say stupid things.
Key descends into farce
Written By: - Date published: 7:59 am, July 11th, 2015 - 72 comments
Key is now “standing by” a statement which a lie about a statement which is factually incorrect. No wonder his fans are so proud of him.
Another #Keyfib about Kiwisaver
Written By: - Date published: 8:27 am, July 10th, 2015 - 42 comments
The treasury release of budget policy advice suggests that John Key’s claim that changes to Kiwisaver would not have any effect on participation numbers was, ahem, erroneous.
Press Council finds against Herald over ponygate reporting
Written By: - Date published: 8:37 am, July 3rd, 2015 - 76 comments
The Press Council has ruled that Rachel Glucina and the Herald breached the requirement of independence contained in the Press Council’s principles.
Auckland Council and the latest rates rise
Written By: - Date published: 1:40 pm, June 28th, 2015 - 69 comments
Auckland Council’s budget which should have been passed on a pro forma vote succeeded this week by the narrowest of margins with a transport levy that Sky City pays the same amount as a Piha resident and where the share of rates that business pays continues to decrease. Time to rethink supercity?
Relationships Aotearoa to close today
Written By: - Date published: 8:50 am, June 9th, 2015 - 19 comments
Relationships Aotearoa is closing its doors today, as a result of ineptitude and indifference on the part of the Government. Claimed safeguards are looking incredibly shaky. Only three of the five organisations touted to take up the work are prepared to do so. And MSD has caused upset to the Privacy Commissioner by misrepresenting his views.
Young Labour and sex change ops
Written By: - Date published: 10:04 am, May 20th, 2015 - 274 comments
Young Labour has proposed that there is public funding for hormone replacement therapy and gender reassignment. Jonathan Coleman described the proposal as “absolutely nuts” but it then emerged that there is already some public funding for this treatment. And the media tried to suggest that some off the cuff comments by Labour MPs is evidence of division.
Are the left really angry?
Written By: - Date published: 10:14 am, May 17th, 2015 - 52 comments
The latest attacks on the left involves the right claiming that left activists are too angry and hurting labour’s chances in the UK as well as New Zealand.
Worst. Interview. Ever.
Written By: - Date published: 9:30 am, May 4th, 2015 - 85 comments
On Radio NZ this morning John Key gave an interview that was cringe-worthy, defensive and accidently hilarious. The man is a joke … and not even an original one.
Key announces new schools – again
Written By: - Date published: 12:45 pm, April 17th, 2015 - 35 comments
At least two of the four new schools that John Key recently announced had been announced previously. And it appears that one of them has had its concrete foundations already poured.
Ten Bridges Too Far
Written By: - Date published: 7:15 am, April 17th, 2015 - 18 comments
With Crosby Textor by his side, John Key has since learned to employ all manner of specialist PR techniques including ad homs, blame-shifting, distraction, use of Dirty Politics proxies to defuse the situation, and false equivalence, all woven together in an intricately performed semantic shuffle designed to provide wiggle room for when he does get caught.
Who is Miranda Devine?
Written By: - Date published: 7:30 am, April 13th, 2015 - 46 comments
Miranda Devine is the person who recently wrote a really obsequious article on John Key in the Daily Telegraph where she described him as one of the best Conservative Prime Ministers in the world. But a reading of her other published material suggests that caution should be applied before applying too much weight to her opinions.
The magical disappearing surplus
Written By: - Date published: 10:36 am, April 11th, 2015 - 67 comments
John Key and National have staked a huge amount of their credibility on returning the country’s books to surplus this financial year. Looks like they are going to fail.
Politician salary rises and the minimum wage increase
Written By: - Date published: 7:30 am, February 27th, 2015 - 106 comments
John Key has yet again asked the Remuneration Authority to limit the increase in MPs pay. And yet again they have said that the law required them to make the decision they did. So MPs get a hefty raise at the same time that the minimum wage is raised slightly. And the media report Key’s comments sympathetically. He is the Prime Minister. If anyone can change the law he is the person best placed.
NZ sending troops to Iraq
Written By: - Date published: 10:00 am, February 23rd, 2015 - 227 comments
New Zealand will be sending troops to Iraq, and you read it first on The Standard. Or in other words, why are we still pretending that the decision hasn’t been made?
Monbiot on state media and the corporate elite
Written By: - Date published: 8:29 am, January 26th, 2015 - 43 comments
George Monbiot wrote recently on how Canadian and United Kingdom public media reporting on corporate news are hopelessly pro business and lacking in any sort of balance. And how the volume of articles concerning environmental issues is declining. Is it the same in New Zealand?
Only in Queensland
Written By: - Date published: 7:22 pm, January 25th, 2015 - 13 comments
Queensland Liberal Country Party Premier Campbell Newman has claimed that the Queensland Labor Party is funded by gangs because some people have told him so. Yet he refuses to acknowledge the urgency of climate change even though pretty well every climate change scientist in the world is telling him it is real and we need to act now. Can you detect the scent of hypocrisy?
Lone nutters and suicide by cop
Written By: - Date published: 8:27 am, December 16th, 2014 - 89 comments
As anticipated, the Sydney cafe siege was caused by a lone nutter with a dubious history. He committed suicide by cop apparently after killing a hostage. Meanwhile we have had opportunistic jerkoffs like National MP Mark Mitchell displaying their paranoid fantasies (probably as urine dribbles down their leg) to justify recent poorly written and rushed legislation.
it’s not censorship, it’s market forces
Written By: - Date published: 1:49 pm, December 8th, 2014 - 77 comments
the addition of judith collins as a columnist has some people calling for people to cancel their subscriptions.
the response has been the usual. there are claims that this is censorship. even though the choice to not purchase a product that no longer appeals to you is hardly censorship.
Russell Brown on rubbish HoS article
Written By: - Date published: 9:40 am, December 7th, 2014 - 88 comments
Russell Brown at Hard News has already said what needed saying about today’s Herald on Sunday lead story.
Scott Campbell: Liar on The Nation
Written By: - Date published: 11:26 pm, November 30th, 2014 - 93 comments
Scott Campbell made a statement on The Nation this weekend about this site being used to attack him as a journalist in 2007/8. After having a good look around for evidence on site, I have concluded that Scott Campbell simply lied. Quite why this comms specialist for the right made this lie I don’t know. But I’m quite pissed off about it.
Key’s repeated reflexive lies (and giving back double)
Written By: - Date published: 2:15 am, November 27th, 2014 - 162 comments
It is now clear that Key lies repeatedly and reflexively. It is all catching up with him. From the confusion of emails and texts that emerged last night it also looks like the Collins / Slater faction is back, and giving back double.
Country divided: Key can’t rule
Written By: - Date published: 11:25 pm, November 18th, 2014 - 43 comments
Election 2014 result coverage reprised…
They’re lying to you
Written By: - Date published: 8:15 am, November 18th, 2014 - 37 comments
Lies, damn lies, and statistics
Dirty attacks on academic
Written By: - Date published: 8:59 am, October 3rd, 2014 - 10 comments
Another dirty hit, this time on an Otago academic. It features most of the regular cast of Dirty Politics, and stars Jordan Williams of the “Taxpayers’ Union” (aka a front for right-wing spin and political attacks).
Defamation on the net
Written By: - Date published: 10:28 am, September 20th, 2014 - Comments Off on Defamation on the net
Stephen Price wrote on an interesting Appeal court decision that relates to blogging and defamation. The decision seems to leave a considerable amount of room for lawyers to continue to explore. But it effectively lays out some guidelines about site responsibilities.
John Key On Trial
Written By: - Date published: 4:35 pm, September 15th, 2014 - 27 comments
The latest instalment in the saga of John Key’s struggle to maintain his image as someone above suspicion has produced the amazing spectacle of a Prime Minister in free fall. Faced with the threatened revelation that he has been – not just economical with, but contemptuous of – the truth as to whether or not […]
Bombs Away?
Written By: - Date published: 5:00 pm, September 12th, 2014 - 73 comments
So much for any abatement of dirty politics…
The Big Lie in action
Written By: - Date published: 12:30 pm, September 5th, 2014 - 13 comments
This morning Rob Salmond did a great post about the “big lie” – the spin coming from the Right that Labour hasn’t concentrated on policy, just dirty politics.
Like clockwork, David Farrar has a post up about the latest polls, suggesting “Their focus on hacked e-mails instead of policy is backfiring.”
- Industry supportive of government’s planned KiwiSaver changes
The government wants to loosen the rules to allow KiwiSaver funds to invest in private assets, housing and infrastructure projects. ...2 weeks ago - Conan O’Brien just gave us the weirdest two minutes of Shortland Street ever
For the past three decades, there’s only been room for one Dr Love in Ferndale. Until now. This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. In its 32 glorious years, Shortland Street has given us a cornucopia of memorable celebrity cameos. We’ve had Ed Sheeran ...2 weeks ago - NZ Young Labour Condemns Assoc Min Of Immigration Decision To Overturn Denial Of Entry To Far-right ...
Immigration New Zealand’s original decision, based on section 15(1)(f) of the Immigration Act following Owens’ denial of entry to Australia, was a lawful and necessary measure to safeguard Aotearoa’s values of inclusivity and manaakitanga. ...2 weeks ago - A gift guide for people who really don’t want to buy shit
Gifts can be a source of joy this Christmas even if you hate capitalism. It can get very tiring buying stuff and yet giving people gifts is also a joy and Christmas is a time when one is expected to do a lot of it. But while snazzy and expensive ...2 weeks ago
- The cost of being: A 30-something dad with a mortgage and a bike
As part of our series exploring how New Zealanders live and our relationship with money, an engineer with a toddler shares how he spends and saves. Want to be part of The Cost of Being? Fill out the questionnaire here. Gender: Male. Age: 34. Ethnicity: Māori/European. Role: Engineer, husband and dad. ...2 weeks ago
- $115m public loan secured against a solar power illusion
Analysis: When NZGIF chair Cecilia Tarrant emerged from her Beehive ‘please explain’ meeting last week, she insisted the Govt green investment bank’s lending was “against the installation of equipment at customers homes”.The experienced business leader’s statement was intended to reassure ministers Nicola Willis and Simon Watts, and the taxpaying public ...2 weeks ago - Rugby: Black Ferns Sevens win big at national awards
This article first appeared at rnz.co.nz and is republished with permission.The Black Ferns Sevens have swept the 2024 New Zealand Rugby Awards picking up team and individual accolades.Twenty-year-old Jorja Miller claimed the player of the year title, Black Ferns Sevens coach Cory Sweeney was named coach of the year and ...2 weeks ago
- The week in two minutes and 10 stories
Toby Manhire takes a whistlestop tour through a big week in the news. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. That sound you can hear is logs, logs upon logs upon logs, ...2 weeks ago
- Pouākai win with mum’s Cann-do attitude
It’s a decision most mums would stew over.But Mikhaela Cann had no qualms about bringing her three young daughters to live in New Zealand; to take care of them on her own, while she played professional basketball.It’s a decision the Mainland Pouākai point guard made earlier this year with her ...2 weeks ago
- All those recent political polls: a quick recap
ICYMI: that festive pileup of opinion polling, in one snapshot. It’s just like London buses. You wait for ages for a poll to arrive and then a rush of them arrive at once. In the blur of December you might well have missed them. What, you’re probably asking, is the ...2 weeks ago
- Ministers block Kāinga Ora bid to develop housing in Tauranga growth zone
No special treatment for Tauranga’s Western Corridor, but the city’s mayor says the Govt’s new tools might work better The post Ministers block Kāinga Ora bid to develop housing in Tauranga growth zone appeared first on Newsroom. ...2 weeks ago
- Ranking the Dunedin malls that are actually one mall
One mall to rule them all, one mall to find them, one mall to bring them all, and in the darkness bind them; in the Meridian where the shadows lie. This is the fifth and final instalment in our Malls of New Zealand ranking series. In order to answer the ...2 weeks ago
- The most memorable local television moments of 2024
From Chris Warner’s beard to Newshub’s tearful goodbye, here are the TV moments that gripped the nation this year. We’re not going to lie, it has been a tough year for television in Aotearoa. We’ve lost current affairs institutions that have been around for decades and likely seen the end ...2 weeks ago
- The bestselling books at Xmas
We have given away oh probably like 40 books this year in our weekly contest published every Friday within the Nielsen BookScan bestseller chart. We have one final book up for grabs in 2024. Simply identify one book in this week’s chart – and get into the spirit of Xmas ...2 weeks ago
- Is the economy responding to interest rate cuts?
Opinion: There is a general expectation that cuts in interest rates will eventually pull the economy out of recession. The Official Cash Rate (OCR) has been slashed 125bps since August. It’s early days, but folk are starting to ask if we’re seeing a response.Below, we check in on some of ...2 weeks ago
- ‘No rehabilitation, no parole’ bill enters lock-up
The Parole Board has ‘grave concerns’ about a draft law tying parole eligibility to rehabilitation The post ‘No rehabilitation, no parole’ bill enters lock-up appeared first on Newsroom. ...2 weeks ago
- Parliament fraying at the seams in final weeks
Tempers are fraying as under-pressure MPs get through a final punishing fortnight of the year The post Parliament fraying at the seams in final weeks appeared first on Newsroom. ...2 weeks ago
- ‘Unprecedented’ fast-track ruling bulldozes past a tricky question
Speaker pushes past argument over the public v private benefits of a law fast-tracking 149 named projects The post ‘Unprecedented’ fast-track ruling bulldozes past a tricky question appeared first on Newsroom. ...2 weeks ago
- Newsroom daily quiz, Friday 13 December
Loading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp');Got a good quiz question? Send Newsroom your questions.The post Newsroom daily quiz, Friday 13 December appeared first on Newsroom. ...2 weeks ago
- The year in Detail
Sharon Brettkelly is a serious journalist, formerly specialising in finance, who beavers away explaining the top news stories of the moment for The Detail.But her favourite episodes this year, she says, shows how shallow she really is.“Married at First Sight … that was a lot of fun … Shortland Street ...2 weeks ago
- Daily crossword, Friday 13 December
The post Daily crossword, Friday 13 December appeared first on Newsroom. ...2 weeks ago
- Two steps forward on pay gaps – let’s make it three
Opinion: Next step is for businesses to report their gender and ethnic pay gaps The post Two steps forward on pay gaps – let’s make it three appeared first on Newsroom. ...2 weeks ago
- The way NZ treats animals is a race to the bottom
Racing Minister Winston Peters’ decision to ban greyhound racing from 2026 was both courageous and evidence-led. It is a rare good news story for anyone who cares about the interests of animals, and warrants celebration. It was also astonishingly overdue, and successive governments’ delay in arriving at the only logical ...2 weeks ago
- New Zealand COVID-19 Inquiry Endorses Abandonment Of Elimination Strategy
The scientific knowledge & resources exist that could eliminate COVID-19 & other preventable diseases. If the elimination strategy initially adopted in New Zealand & China had been implemented on a global scale, the COVID pandemic could have been ...2 weeks ago
- New Sex Education Curriculum Should Be Age Appropriate And Scientifically Accurate, Women’s Rights...
The current guidelines, which cover 1-10 yrs, are to be replaced by a refreshed curriculum that would define the core knowledge & skills students should learn at each age, & will look at extending compulsory relationships & sexuality education to senior ...2 weeks ago
- Raw Politics picks the best and worst of 2024 – and 2025
Four different MPs are nominated by our four Raw Politics panelists for the honour of standout politician of 2024 – and consensus is hard to come by for many of our other accolades.The Raw Politics podcast weighs the good and bad for 2024 – leaders, new MPs, policy pushes, controversies and cringeworthy ...2 weeks ago
- What we should have done with Candace Owens is nothing
Immigration NZ could have made any decision on the controversial speaker’s visa and it would’ve been better than a minister intervening. It’s happened again. As the world turned and things progressed in their natural way, we as a country have managed to trip over our own feet, face first into ...2 weeks ago
- Minister Reverses Visa Denial, Allows Candace Owens Access To New Zealand: Massive Win For Kiwis’ ...
Those calling for censorship should take note: denying Owens’ entry into the country has simply widened interest in her. Those who disagree with Owens should channel that into counter speech and peaceful protest – cancellation won’t get us anywhere. ...2 weeks ago
- Gone By Lunchtime: A plan to have a plan about some ferries
Ready the lifeboats: the coalition boat appears to be listing. Twelve months after the coalition government torpedoed the new ferry plan it had inherited, along with a wild cost blowout, from the previous government, a much heralded announcement finally arrived on Wednesday, and it provided plenty more questions that it ...2 weeks ago
- Govt Acting With Too Much Haste To Upend Established Flexible Work Practices
Te Kawa Mataaho today issued new flexible work guidelines just days after the PSA filed action with the Employment Relations Authority challenging the Government’s legal right to do so. ...2 weeks ago
- A love letter to community newspapers
Bethany Rolston looks back at the three years she wrote for the Te Awamutu Courier, one of the 14 NZME community newspapers set to close before Christmas. Looking back at the three years I was a journalist at the Te Awamutu Courier feels like a happy sort of fever ...2 weeks ago
- The Spinoff’s best NZ book covers of 2024
In which Claire Mabey judges this year’s New Zealand books by their covers. Among a sea of books some are more alluring than others, like tropical fishes glinting. The art of the book cover is a serious matter: the cover has to help the book stand out as well as ...2 weeks ago
- Will Taxpayer Bailouts Of Failing Skifield Never End?
“It’s time for the abuse of taxpayer money to stop, and start investing in things that will actually benefit hardworking Kiwis.” ...2 weeks ago
- Modern Slavery Legislation Drafted To Drive Cross Party Political Support For NZ Law
A team of independent experts has drafted legislation ready for immediate introduction to Parliament in a bid to fast-track progress on modern slavery laws with cross-party backing. ...2 weeks ago
- A brief history of celebrity cameos on Shortland Street
Ahead of Conan O’Brien’s Shortland Street cameo tonight, Alex Casey looks back at some of the more memorable cameos to grace Ferndale. Nothing signals the festive season better than a tall redhead American late show host visiting our favourite fictional hospital. Tonight, Conan O’Brien will don a pair of grape ...2 weeks ago
- Help Me Hera: How do I navigate Auckland traffic without going insane?
The selfishness of this city’s drivers never fails to ruin my day. How do I get from A to B without wishing punishment and retribution on my fellow commuters? Want Hera’s help? Email your problem to helpme@thespinoff.co.nz Help Me Hera! Why do I see Auckland driver behaviour (not letting people merge, tailgating, etc) ...2 weeks ago
- Own goal? Govt sets new $4b goalpost for ferries
This new Number of the Day is based on 42 very, very costly words in an old Treasury report, and some ‘spotty’ costings out of China and Korea The post Own goal? Govt sets new $4b goalpost for ferries appeared first on Newsroom. ...2 weeks ago
- An ‘announcement of an announcement’ of two new boats
The wait for replacement Interislander ferries will drag on until 2029, as ministers reveal a plan to buy two smaller ships, reports Joel MacManus reports from parliament. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. Crown company created to procure two new Interislander ferries by 2029 The long-awaited ...2 weeks ago
- Communities swamped by torrent of new water reforms
Without the fire and fanfare of the previous Govt’s three waters reforms, the coalition has this week quietly introduced a 100,000-word whale of a water services bill The post Communities swamped by torrent of new water reforms appeared first on Newsroom. ...2 weeks ago
- From elusive principles to the year’s biggest loser – 2024 had it all
A lighthearted celebration: Newsroom’s political team awards the coveted annual political prizes – from Biggest Loser to Teen Choice The post From elusive principles to the year’s biggest loser – 2024 had it all appeared first on Newsroom. ...2 weeks ago
Recent Comments