the praiseworthy and the pitiful

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Government braces for expected worm farm mini golf fatality onslaught

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 7:30 am, August 21st, 2015 - 50 comments

Apparently worm farms and mini golf ranges are dangerous places. And worm farmers playing mini golf are in grave peril.

Parsing John Key on TPPA

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 1:32 pm, August 17th, 2015 - 72 comments

John Key made some outlandish claims about TPPA opponents this morning on the Paul Henry show. And in response, as usual, he was not pulled up on his claims by his interviewer.

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.

The Flag will make us rich

Written By: Natwatch - Date published: 12:21 pm, August 6th, 2015 - 66 comments

John Key thinks the new flag will make us all rich and be worth billions.

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.

TPPA hopefully sinking again

Written By: lprent - Date published: 12:52 pm, August 1st, 2015 - 52 comments

Looks like the TPP press conference has been delayed. Good. Lets hope this restraint of trade agreement stays that way. I had time to look at the varied opinions in the Herald this morning. A range from the good to the pathetic…

National’s week from hell

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 8:30 am, July 26th, 2015 - 43 comments

This was the week from hell for National when they experienced the Serco fiasco, news that they responded to a suggestion they close a failing Charter School by giving it more money, the Judicial spanking of their undermining of the Problem Gambling Foundation and the ruling that their legislation removing the rights of some prisoners to vote was a breach of the country’s human rights.

Serco, Lotu-Iiga and the death of Nick Evans

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 9:36 am, July 23rd, 2015 - 69 comments

Nick Evans was alleged to have been dropped from a height while being supervised in a Serco run prison. He was transferred to another prison and shortly after this died from injuries apparently inflicted from the dropping. Yet there is no police investigation and Minister in charge Lotu-Iiga says the allegations are “unproven” without making the most basic of inquiries.

Local right wing media on climate change

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 10:23 am, July 18th, 2015 - 139 comments

Jack Tame on Newstalk ZB has recently brought refreshingly realistic commentary on climate change. Meanwhile in the Herald climate change is thought to be a good thing because summers become warmer.

The Cyber bullying law and Dirty Politics

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 1:58 pm, July 1st, 2015 - 36 comments

The cyber bullying legislation is a cynical piece of law which allows National to claim that it has left dirty politics behind.

#Sheepgate – did National ask the Saudi Sheep Farmer to sue NZ?

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 8:36 am, June 24th, 2015 - 42 comments

It seems crazy but it appears that National may have asked the Saudi sheep farmer to sue New Zealand. And John Key seems to be relaxed about facilitation payments aka bribes.

More political interference in State Broadcasting

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 1:49 pm, June 23rd, 2015 - 43 comments

It appears that shortly after a meeting between the Minister of Maori of Affairs Te Ururoa Flavell and head of Maori TV Paora Maxwell occurred a potentially embarrassing planned televised debate concerning Whanau Ora was cancelled. Of course the timing is completely accidental and Flavell had nothing to do with it …

The NRA is a terrorist organisation

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 8:50 am, June 20th, 2015 - 106 comments

In the land of the free and the brave the NRA is trying to say that the way to stop incidents such as the Charleston Church massacre is to have more guns. And the right are trying to dispute the reality that the incident was caused by racism.

Keep on rocking in the free world

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 8:19 am, June 19th, 2015 - 25 comments

Donald Trump has attracted adverse comment for using Neil Young’s song “keep on rocking in the free world” during his campaign launch. There are a number of other examples, both local and in the US, where right wing candidates have misappropriated progressive musicians’ music for campaign purposes.

Rachel Glucina leaves Herald and joins Mediaworks

Written By: Natwatch - Date published: 5:38 pm, June 18th, 2015 - 27 comments

Rachel Glucina is off to Mediaworks to run a new digital entertainment platform.

Kia kaha Mihingarangi Forbes

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 7:39 am, June 5th, 2015 - 29 comments

Mihingarangi Forbes resigned yesterday as a reporter for Marae Televison apparently because of managerial interference in a story she intended to run. In the week since Aotearoa lost Campbell Lives it has now lost arguably the best investigative reporter that the country has.

Sheepgate: the McCully mess

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 8:33 am, June 3rd, 2015 - 20 comments

The media have joined opposition demands that Murray McCully’s actions in relation to sheepgate are investigated. If John Key really expects high standards from his ministers this is the least that should be done. Update: And a claimed “independent audit” of the tender process was conducted by none other than MFAT.

Sheepgate

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 8:54 am, May 28th, 2015 - 103 comments

It has emerged that the New Zealand Government has paid money to a Saudi businessman allegedly to settle a legal dispute that does not exist but more probably to persuade the Saudi Government to enter into a free trade agreement. Update – and maybe there was a threat of legal action but because of the actions of National, not Labour.

The media and two child poverty policy releases

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 9:24 am, May 24th, 2015 - 60 comments

The media’s handling of Labours Best Start policy announcement in January of last year and its handling of National’s recent budget announcement of a $25 a week increase for beneficiary families provides an interesting contrast.

The Standard’s reputation rises after Judith Collins comments

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 4:27 pm, May 23rd, 2015 - 23 comments

The Standard was mentioned on Back Benchers last night by Crusher Collins. From her comments it looks like we are doing our job properly.

Young Labour and sex change ops

Written By: mickysavage - 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: mickysavage - 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.

National’s innumeracy and Auckland’s Housing crisis

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 10:19 am, May 11th, 2015 - 23 comments

Radio New Zealand’s Todd Niall has investigated figures recently advanced by Simon Bridges and Nick Smith used to attack Auckland Council and has discovered that the figures are somewhat rubbery.

Henry ratings tank while Campbell ratings soar

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 9:00 am, May 7th, 2015 - 61 comments

Despite being heavily advertised Paul Henry’s show’s viewer numbers are small while viewer numbers of Campbell Live have surged.

National Council of Women open letter to John Key

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 7:30 am, April 23rd, 2015 - 28 comments

The text of an open letter from the National Council of Women to John Key about his treatment of waitresses.

Let Campbell Live entertain you

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 12:35 pm, April 18th, 2015 - 35 comments

John Campbell is engaged in the most marvellous fightback in trying to save Campbell Live. But you have to wonder why he is not on a State Channel with robust protection for quality journalism.

Key announces new schools – again

Written By: mickysavage - 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.

Who is Miranda Devine?

Written By: mickysavage - 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.

A tale of two no surprises disclosures

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 9:30 am, March 24th, 2015 - 34 comments

Anne Tolley was told about the prosecution of Beverley Sepuloni under the no surprises policy nearly a month before the news became public. Release of this information makes you wonder why we cannot be told the date that the Government was told about Mike Sabin’s difficulties.

GCSB spied on foreign communications to help Groser’s WTO bid

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 7:32 am, March 23rd, 2015 - 133 comments

More embarrassment for the Government as it is revealed that the GCSB spied on internet communications involving diplomats competing with Tim Groser in his bid to be elected as the Director General of the World Trade Organisation.