election 2011

Categories under election 2011

  • No categories

A few thoughts on election 2011

Written By: - Date published: 10:13 am, November 27th, 2011 - 321 comments

It’s been a funny kind of election and there’s a lot to ruminate on over the next few days.

Here’s a handful of random thoughts on the matter…

Election night roundup

Written By: - Date published: 7:00 pm, November 26th, 2011 - 350 comments

We will try to keep updated with the results of the election as they come through. And we hope that you will do the same in comments. Hopefully we’ll keep the level of punditry down to a less boring level than dead time fill requires for broadcast media. Feel free to tell us what you’re […]

Time – last chance for comments

Written By: - Date published: 11:45 pm, November 25th, 2011 - 5 comments

We’re not posting posts and not allowing comments from 2359 tonight to 1900 tomorrow after the polls close.

Thanks everyone….

A vote for Key is a vote for asset sales

Written By: - Date published: 11:00 pm, November 25th, 2011 - 66 comments

76% of Kiwis are against National’s plan to sell our assets. We know it just doesn’t make sense. We know privatisation leads to higher prices, under-investment, asset-stripping, and profits going overseas rather than into public services. Make no mistake: the only way to stop asset sales is to vote Green, Mana, Labour, or New Zealand First.

Who we’re voting for

Written By: - Date published: 7:02 pm, November 25th, 2011 - 238 comments

Over at norightturn idiot savant has declared his voting intentions. And let’s face it, in a representative democracy how you vote is where the rubber hits the road.

With that in mind Standard authors who feel comfortable with the concept are declaring the who and why of their democratic activities this Saturday. Commenters are free to join in.

Undecided? Try this website

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 pm, November 25th, 2011 - 5 comments

If you’re still undecided, www.onthefence.co.nz is a cool little website that will help. You choose three issues that matter to you and how much you agree with two opposing statements on each those three issues – and it’s done with cute sheep graphics. The website then matches your priorities and the three parties that best fit them.

100,000 reasons to vote Left

Written By: - Date published: 1:20 pm, November 25th, 2011 - 10 comments

In the end its pretty simple for me.  I’m asking you to vote for the Left this election, for 100,000 reasons.

Both Labour and The Greens have policies that will lift 100,000 children out of poverty.

Epsom voters: Please kill Act – you know you want to…

Written By: - Date published: 12:45 pm, November 25th, 2011 - 21 comments

For the sake of your neighbors in Auckland and your extended family throughout New Zealand, could the voters of Epsom please terminate the twitching corpse of the Act party. Once they may have had a purpose. Now they just have John Banks and that other failed politician. Let us look forward into the sunset without this zombie party being maintained by the misplaced charity of the voters of Epsom.

Red or blue?

Written By: - Date published: 12:00 pm, November 25th, 2011 - 31 comments

Listen to us – Homebrew

Written By: - Date published: 11:00 am, November 25th, 2011 - 2 comments

We’ve been getting links to this song for a week or two. Wish I’d gotten round to posting it earlier. Just fantastic.

Hiding in his mansion/While half the population flies across the Tasman/The other half try to act like it’s not happening

There’s no depression in New Zealan’/ Just a slow sinking feelin’

Turning on Key

Written By: - Date published: 10:14 am, November 25th, 2011 - 33 comments

It’s been a costly election for Key. After the teapot tape fiasco and the subsequent police raids on media, his political capital with the media (except for die-hard fans) is spent.

Nats resort to robo-calling

Written By: - Date published: 9:00 am, November 25th, 2011 - 25 comments

We’ve been getting emails and comments from people getting robo-calls from John Key. These pre-recorded calls are notoriously bad campaign tools. Invite lots of backlash. Odd National is introducing them (they used them last election but only on election day as a get out the vote tool, not to campaign). Shows they know this election is tighter than it looks.

Labour’s closing address

Written By: - Date published: 7:03 am, November 25th, 2011 - 13 comments

The parties’ closing addresses screen tonight on TV1 at 7:30pm.  Here’s Labour’s – a strong finish to a strong campaign.

National policy manifesto

Written By: - Date published: 7:00 am, November 25th, 2011 - 5 comments

Only chumps tick Tory

Written By: - Date published: 11:43 am, November 24th, 2011 - 128 comments

The old timers say never trust a Tory. Can see why. Exclusive Brethren. Hollow Men. Tranzrail shares. Secret agenda tapes. Teapot tapes. Suppressed asset sales advice. Climate change ‘hocus pocus’. Police hiring freeze. We keep on discovering their secret agendas. If you care about integrity, if you’ve got enough pride not to put up with being lied to, you won’t be voting National. Only chumps tick Tory.

An election under a cloud

Written By: - Date published: 11:23 am, November 24th, 2011 - 45 comments

I don’t think I can recall an election in NZ conducted under such a cloud of extraordinary and dubious circumstances as this one.  Media raids, suppressed information, lies, and apparently even discussing the weather could get you in to trouble.

Final debate – win to Goff on points

Written By: - Date published: 4:20 pm, November 23rd, 2011 - 175 comments

Debate over. Not a walkover for Goff like the TV3 debate, but a win to Goff on points. Communicated effectively, came across as honest and open (compared to Key’s shifty body language), and had Key on the ropes several times.

Debate bingo

Written By: - Date published: 11:59 am, November 23rd, 2011 - 12 comments

Download debate-bingo and see if you can be the first to mark off John Key’s hollow catchphrases in the final Leader’s debate tonight.

The winner will be all of us if we choose a better government on Saturday.

Like shit warmed-up

Written By: - Date published: 7:20 am, November 23rd, 2011 - 81 comments

John Key is really showing the strain of campaigning, he’s not bearing up under the stress of it at all well. Clearly the National Show Pony was not built for endurance.

Nat asset sales lies

Written By: - Date published: 7:07 am, November 23rd, 2011 - 53 comments

Last night TV1 revealed National’s lies on the explosive topic of asset sales.  The Nats have no official advice to back up their asset sales claims, and information is being withheld from the public.  Not good enough – vote them out.

Tape hearing

Written By: - Date published: 1:13 pm, November 22nd, 2011 - 53 comments

According to reporter Derek Cheng (#dchengnzh) inside the courtroom “Judge reserved decision til 215 tomoro #votenz #ambrose“.

Key’s campaign super weapon

Written By: - Date published: 8:38 am, November 22nd, 2011 - 11 comments

Key to lay police complaint against debate worm

Written By: - Date published: 7:20 am, November 22nd, 2011 - 104 comments

The 2nd TV debate was a 2nd win for Goff. He was human and humane, visionary and realistic. Key made excuses for his poor record, tried to hide in detail, and cast a sullen eye to the future. The worm told the story. So did the Right’s reaction. But, next debate, ditch the ‘expert’ panelists. […]

TV3 debate: clear win to Goff

Written By: - Date published: 6:10 pm, November 21st, 2011 - 275 comments

A clear win to Goff – Bravo!

The Goldsmith Gambit

Written By: - Date published: 3:22 pm, November 21st, 2011 - 49 comments

This will be one of the dirtiest political and anti-democratic tactics ever designed in NZ history. It has the potential of delivering a second John Key term, gifting Epsom to ACT and of discrediting MMP in one foul swoop: a true Tory Trifecta.

Police delay searches

Written By: - Date published: 1:15 pm, November 21st, 2011 - 43 comments

In what seems a very wise move, police are holding off their searches of four media organisations until the legal situation has been clarified.  See also some notes on the legal situation prior to Tuesday’s hearing.

Truth in advertising

Written By: - Date published: 10:28 am, November 21st, 2011 - 7 comments

Debate tonight – smartphone worm app

Written By: - Date published: 8:29 am, November 21st, 2011 - 101 comments

Tonight is the TV3 Goff-Key leaders’ debate 7pm – 8:30pm. Remember “the worm”? It’s back.  And (in a move that is a gift to National’s demographic) this time it’s packing a smartphone.  Here’s how to get the app if you want to take part.

Fearing Winston

Written By: - Date published: 7:32 am, November 21st, 2011 - 46 comments

National is getting increasingly hysterical as its internal polling shows its majority slipping away and New Zealand First above 5%. National is lashing out, saying Winston could trigger a snap election because he wouldn’t sacrifice his principles like the Maori Party and ACT. Invent your own anti-NZF scare line for National:

More lameness from the man with no ideas; wave goodbye to Aroha

Written By: - Date published: 2:19 pm, November 20th, 2011 - 74 comments

John Key has announced today that if Winston is re-elected, New Zealand will be forced to go back to the polls within weeks.

Meanwhile elsewhere on the limping catastrophe that is the John Key Campaign, Aroha Ireland has decided to leave New Zealand and join the record numbers of kiwis leaving permanently for a Brighter Future in Australia.

What would he have thought?

Written By: - Date published: 8:39 am, November 20th, 2011 - 57 comments

The server will be getting hardware changes this evening starting at 10pm NZDT.
The site will be off line for some hours.