Looks like John Key might be a little less “self-made” and a little more “taxpayer-made” than he’d have us believe… click the image for a larger version.
So National are using as disreputable company as Crosby/Textor and getting the taxpayer to pay for it. Assuming that they were aware they might get caught, what were they thinking?
Are they so sure they’re going to win that they’re willing to take this kind of risk in an attempt to get an outright majority?
Do they think they are entitled? That somehow being on the opposition benches entitles them to cheat?
Are they so used to the greys of politics that they have lost sight of moral black and white? Well, except as can be used to their PR advantage.
Are they so confident of their ability to spin that they were sure they could cloud the issue?
Finally, why use their PS allocation for this? What’re the spending the rest of their money on? What not run invoices as controversial as this through the party?
Maybe they are keeping party funds back for legal challenges/snap election expenses next year – y’know just in case things don’t turn out how they expect. Again.
Anita: “Assuming that they were aware they might get caught, what were they thinking?”
That the electorate might not care. This does seem a bit overconfident, but so far the electorate doesn’t seem to care.
“That somehow being on the opposition benches entitles them to cheat?”
It’s not a sport governed by a sportsmanlike code of honour. It’s just not cricket. It’s not even beach cricket!
“Are they so confident of their ability to spin that they were sure they could cloud the issue?”
I reckon so.
“Finally, why use their PS allocation for this? What’re the spending the rest of their money on?”
Can’t answer this. I can only answer what they seem to not be spending their money on, and that’s policy.
Raises an interesting issue, though: since the Auditor-General ruled that Parliamentary Services money (specifically from the leader’s budget) couldn’t be spent on electioneering, National clearly consider the employment of Crosby/Textor to not be electioneering. At this stage I’d agree it isn’t – but the campaign is yet at a simmer. I wonder if this is a possible avenue for challenge – either in the courts or in the court of public opinion?
Well it worked pretty well for them last election, so why change? Spend the money early on something with no tangible product to be challenged, avoid any audit associated with the months before the election, then get stuck in to any other party that spends their PS money on any kind of communication with the electorate.
It’s an option available only to a party with plenty of private money to spend. Shut down the other voices any way you can. Brilliant in a way, if you care only about winning, and nothing about democracy.
Heres the thing. I don’t care. I don’t really think much of National but I will vote for them at the next election because I absolutely loathe Labour and the Greens. For me, the tipping point was the ludicrous anti-smacking bollix. I don’t need the government to tell me how to raise my children. Then theres all the anti-smoking bullshit. Not only that, but Labours hidden agendas such as civil unions and legalised whoredom have turned me against them as well. They had no mandate from the people for any of this liberal rubbish. Come November they will be gone, because the election is now Nationals to lose. Goodbye to Labour and the awful Helen Clark. Into the dustbin of history you go, theres a good socialist.
[lprent: Look – another stamped out of the mould troll – but this one is better educated – it can use capitals. I like trolls. Mostly I like banning them for idiotic behavior.]
I wonder if police will be investigating the venting system at Parliament to see if Nicky Harger might have been able to sneak in (like in Mission Impossible) and pay the invoices without National knowing. After all he can hack impenetrable government computers.
So anybody who disagrees with you is a troll? Is that how it works? As for voting for a party whose policies I support, well, unfortunately there isn’t one.
[lprent: Nope, there are a lot of people on here who disagree with both me and the party I support. Some of them write posts, some comment, and some moderate. Hell – I disagree with almost everyone including the people that I agree with.
What we do tend to agree on is that people who cannot argue a point, don’t have a sense of humour, and just throw up the same old tired lines over and over again – can be called Trolls. What I have determined (after a long and careful investigation) is that I don’t like mindless trolls. My rule of thumb is that if I could build a program to replicate a persons comments with a phrase dictionary and a randomisation function – then I treat them as a troll.
To date you’ve thrown up an opinion rant which I’ve seen many times before with no backing evidence or argument about why these things are wrong or even if they are correct.
So as you can see, the solution for you is simple. Write something that convinces me you aren’t a bad program that needs substantial debugging. Show me that there is some intelligence there somewhere. Otherwise your life span here gets very short.]
[lprent: It looked more like an opinion for whales blog. Have a look around here and you’ll find the ‘standard’ is higher (chortle – now I wonder who is going to argue about that statement).]
LabourSucks. Anyone is welcome to comment if they make intelligent comments but three things tend to wreck threads
– commentators who hurl mindless abuse
– commentators ranting or repeating slogans without any thoughtful argument
– commentators who get all egotistical
If you want to comment in one of those styles, please take it to kiwiblog.
By clamping down on it here, we get much better threads and that encourages more people to participate who would stay silent if the thread was full of the above.
“Nat’s spending your money to build brand Key.”
Great title for the thread lads.
In light of todays revelations about this blog we can rest easy in the knowledge that “Labour is spending your money to destroy brand Key.’
Unless DPF and WhaleOil are lying of course.
bill brown, they have written some fairly comprehensive posts today outing some of the posters here as paid bloggers and it appears some of them are funded by the tax payer. They are fairly serious allegations and probably deserve a response.
That may well be the case steve (or whatever your name is [it’s Clinton Smith]) But can you answer this question?
Are you or any of your fellow posters employed by parliamentary services? If yes, is it okay for any of you to be blogging on publicly owned equipment while drawing a taxpayer funded salary?
[Tane: No, we receive no taxpayer funding or assistance. This blog is run voluntarily by activists in their own time and our opinions are our own.]
Here is a list of things about which I do not care.
I do not care that National utilise C/T and have done so for many years.
I do not care if the Standard is or isn’t manned by public servants and in cahoots with Labour. (It’s a blog lighten up people)
I do not care if the posters and commenters on this site blog on occasion during work time (- so do I – a bit of a break every now and then is quite pleasant).
Tane, you are being slippery. The question I asked was are any of your posters employed by parliamentary services? In light of the title of this post I believe the question is on topic and germane to the argument.
LabourSucks. I’m opposed to crap speech – we want to provide a forum for intelligent debate from all angles and views. we don’t have to provide a forum for insults, mindless slogans etc if we don’t want to, and we don’t.
barsnelybill. We’re not going to go through every name or organisation you can list. We are not funded by the taxpayer or any organisation, nor are we directed or controlled by any other organisation. we are individuals writing as individuals and that’s that.
Are you or any of your fellow posters employed by parliamentary services? If yes, is it okay for any of you to be blogging on publicly owned equipment while drawing a taxpayer funded salary?
That is such a weak attack barnsley. Why should parliamentary services employees using publicly owned equipment drawing a taxpayer funded salary be any more culpable than someone doing the same thing for a privately owned company?
Yes, it’s ok. So long as they’re still doing their jobs to a reasonable standard I couldn’t give a damn. You might claim they’re not doing them as well as they could if they gave them their undivided attention, but the same is true of every person who checks out some auctions on trademe while at work. The secratary at Price Waterhouse playing solitaire is increasing the cost of your accounting services just as much as a public services employee writing on a weblog is increasing your tax spend.
If they’re underperforming they’ll get fired, and if they’re not then you’ve got no basis for complaint. Unless their job description and recognised role is “political blogger” then it’s irrelevant where and for whom they work.
—
Good job with the name there ‘Labour Sucks’. Did you think that up all by yourself or did your dog help you?
Steve, you wrote; “we want to provide a forum for intelligent debate from all angles and views. we don’t have to provide a forum for insults, mindless slogans etc if we don’t want to, and we don’t.”
Good for you, we agree on that point at least. I tired of the vitriol quite some time ago (unless it is aimed at roger nome).
However, you guys are constantly having a crack at DPF for his self confessed links to national but remain hidden in the shadows. Today’s revelations about the employment status of some of your posters is relevant to this post and deserves a response.
Surely you can see you lay yourselves open to accusations of hypocrisy if indeed you have parliamentary services staffers posting anonymously and constantly attacking John key?
Mr Pierson is it not coincidence that many of “individuals” who write for Standard also work in ministers office and for union office? If you say that then you say that exclusive brethren people were just “individuals” businessmen and just coincidence they are exclusive brethrens.
Funeral earlier today – tends to put things in perspective.
As Lynn says on occasion rightie and leftie is all a bit misleading I think most people fall into each camp dependent on the specific areas under discussion (I do anyway).
T-Rex.. You wrote;
“That is such a weak attack barnsley. Why should parliamentary services employees using publicly owned equipment drawing a taxpayer funded salary be any more culpable than someone doing the same thing for a privately owned company?
Yes, it’s ok. So long as they’re still doing their jobs to a reasonable standard I couldn’t give a damn. You might claim they’re not doing them as well as they could if they gave them their undivided attention, but the same is true of every person who checks out some auctions on trademe while at work. The secratary at Price Waterhouse playing solitaire is increasing the cost of your accounting services just as much as a public services employee writing on a weblog is increasing your tax spend.”
But they are not bidding on dildo’s on trademe or playing solitaire are they?
If they are parliamentary services staffers then they should say so. They are posting on an extreme left wing attack site in the course of their daily activities. Bit of a difference between trade me and the standard. I am sure they are doing their jobs to a very reasonable standard, however posting anonymously at the behest of their titular employer is an inference that is hard to avoid.
Pardon me Mr Pierson I do not read where it say Standard has writings from people who work in prime minister office or union office on your website, this seems very important if you do write from prime minister office and people have right to know. I also ask earlier how many commenter people banned so far from standard Mr Pierson.
But they are not bidding on dildo’s on trademe or playing solitaire are they?
They might be – it’s a free country!
Get your hand off it, this is not “an extreme attack site”.
The conflict of interest that would exist for a public services staff member posting on a political blog is no greater than that of a private enterprise staffer doing the same.
Like HS says, it’s a freaking blog. As long as they’re not getting paid to do it, and I don’t mean “vague association of interests” paid, I mean “boss asking how the blog posting is coming along and whether there’s been any progress, taken into consideration come salary review” paid, then they’ve got no obligation to disclose anything to you, and are commiting no offence under the EFA.
It’s. A. Blog.
If you don’t like how what gets said here makes you feel it might be a sign you should reconsider your own views. Protesting that it’s being said is just pathetic. Especially for someone who claims to value free speech so highly.
funny. I get emails every other day accusing us of not being leftwing enough.
“however posting anonymously at the behest of their titular employer is an inference that is hard to avoid”
and since that inference is entirely incorrect, you can see another reason why we don’t divulge names and occupations. No writer of The Standard writes on behalf of their employer or as a member of any organisation..
Mr Pierson you do not let people make up own minds about inference because you hide it just like exclusive brethren said they are just six businessmen independent of church.
You have to hand it to some of these right wing nut jobs. They can’t debate the points, they can’t debate the policies, they can’t debate the data. But they sure are persistent in their personal attacks on the creators of The Standard.
Bill – go water your flowers. Dilip – Steve is not obliged to answer your questions. You both are guests here. Get a life. And while you’re at it, read the about page: http://www.thestandard.org.nz/?page_id=2
Ah Dilip – exactly WHY do you have a RIGHT to know anything about this blog? Show me the legislation? Show me the common law? Show me the InternetNZ requirements? Hell show me any reason I should listen to you on this subject.
Whale’s ‘evidence’ is just pathetic. You could have equally shown that people here were employees of the “Daily Show” on exactly the same basis.
It seems to me that the writers are on the right line targeting the C/T links – The Nat’s lack of policy and Key. They must be worrying someone.
Mr Prent please don’t be angry I just say the electral finance law say a blog is exempt if written by individual on non-commercial bases. Standard is not exempt from law. This is law Standard defend. Your argument say nobody has right to know who give money to political party or who campaign, but that was what elecral finance law fix. If there is blog from right winger group not individual who campaign from National Party office that is not exempt either and should register. I think maybe easier if Standard just honest about work in prime minister office and union office.
Sigh… How you decant “personal attacks” from politely worded questioning is beyond me. Have a look at the title of this post and then google “irony” guys.
And as far as IPRENT’s asking “what right do any of us have to ask”..
I completely agree. Your blog, your rules.
I look forward to the conclusion of play at the end of November. Irrespective of the score at full time I hope that we can all get together, have a beer and shoot the 5hit about stuff other than politics.
Dilip: This blog has posts written by individuals on a non-commercial basis. Who their employer is, is just not relevant, as they write on their own behalf and on their own time.
There is some question about multi-author blogs under the EFA. That is still being looked at by the electoral commission after a number of complaints against this and other sites.
It will affect a number of sites if the EC’s decision is different from what I expect. If it is then I’ll adjust the site to conform with the ruling – probably more on the lines of Hardtalk. Depends on the decision.
But all of that is moot since the cost of the site is just the cost of the server – now sitting at $160/month + the domain costs. This is paid by me. This also falls well below the $12k/year in the EFA. So it doesn’t have to even be declared under the EFA.
I look forward to the conclusion of play at the end of November. Irrespective of the score at full time I hope that we can all get together, have a beer and shoot the 5hit about stuff other than politics.
Maybe. But I’d still expect that most of the posters will still be anonymous as the site carries on. I’m old enough and skilled enough that it doesn’t really affect me what I wrote on a blog 20 years ago. But for the younger bods (which I infer from their writing) who do write here it is more of a consideration.
I suspect the politics will carry on post election, but probably with more room for other things.
Besides – politely worded? I had a look at DPF’s comment section. It looks like a list of every defective dickhead I’ve ever booted from here.
With regard to the “politely worded” comment, I was referring to myself rather than the lot who have all bought rope and booked lamp posts for the ninth floor staffers IP.
Mr Prent that is interesting and I hope electoral commission make decision soon because good to know what decision is. But there are other cost of blog as well not just host cost also cost of author time if they write from prime minister office for a lot of hours or union office for a lot of hours, could be more than twelve thousand dollar.
“This blog has posts written by individuals on a non-commercial basis. Who their employer is, is just not relevant, as they write on their own behalf and on their own time.”
substitute pamphlet for blog………..and religion for employer and waddaya got………..tada ” chinless scarf wearers.”
Mr Prent if I am not wrong this post is about spin from National spend money on secret tool to make John Key look better, how is discussion of spin from labour spend money on secret tool to make John Key look bad from Standard? You want to know who is behind John Key and National because you think important to have accountability then why not make Standard accountable also and tell who secret spin machine writing Standard for labour party?
The problem with the Excluive Brethern was that they and National had coordinated their campaigns to cirumvent National’s spending cap and tried to keep that relationship secret. There is no such arrangment between The Standard and any political party or other organisation.
Dilip. Writers write in their own time. Myself, I write in the morning or evening, and at lunchtime if something comes up. I do a few comments through the day but that’s nothing unusual, it’s just the same as you and most commentators are doing at work.
why not make Standard accountable also and tell who secret spin machine writing Standard for labour party?
Becaues we don’t write spin, or anything, for the Labour Party. Many of us, including myself, don’t even vote for them. In fact, I find it quite insulting to be accused of writing spin for Labour given they’re so bloody dreadful at it.
I know it’s hard for many on the right to understand, but we express our own individual opinions here and we do it because we believe in social democratic principles, not in pursuit of a pay cheque or on someone’s orders.
Sure we have the odd contact here and there in politics and the media, but we certainly don’t have a line to Helen Clark or anyone even remotely close – I’d be surprised if she even knows who we are.
All I can chalk this up to is another attempt from the right to shut down a blog they can’t match themselves.
I think people, including most journalists, do misunderstand what the problem with the EB was (just as they misunderstand what the problem with C/T is).
The National-EB alliance was a secret alliance to circumvent National’s spending imits with a massive secret campaign. It doesn’t matter that it was the EB, it could have been the Rotary Club or the Herald – it was the secret conspiracy to circumvent the law and democratic process, not the actors that mattered.
We have no secret alliance with anyone, we’re not out to circumvent electoral law (in fact, I strongly support it) and we believe in democratising the democratic process.
It must drive them nuts that they can hire C/T and spend millions on focus groups and rebranding and they still get ripped to sh*t by people messing around in their spare time.
I can just imagine the boardroom scene in Sydney…
They’re using humour against us! Those BASTARDS! Drag a bunch of people in off the street and run some focus groups to find out what’s funny these days, we’ll show those damn hippies!
Actually that’s probably where Liarbore came from.
“independent initiative”, well that’s the issue isn’t it?
Why not in the interests of transparency and openness confirm that independence. Because rather than your reactionary diatribe, David Farrars analysis seems to point to a more co ordinated collusion between the ninth floor and the EPMU comms staff.
This blog supported a flawed and anti democratic bill under the pretence that covert and dishonest forces were manipulating opinion in New Zealand.
This Key attack blog (and that really all this so called initiative amounts to), has been less than honest about it’s authors and how much it costs to runs and when these people run it.
I say again, in the interests of transparency, practice what you preach.
Also…name one person I have smeared on Clint Heine and Friends?
[lprent: You posted that you were moderated here because of your opinions. In reality it was because of your language matching some parameters in the anti-spam file. Your response to my pointing that out was interesting. I wouldn’t call it a smear – more of an idiot expressing themselves.
We have been quite clear on exactly how much this blog costs. Currently $160 per month after the last upgrade.]
Mr Pierson thank you for reply. How come evidence say photos on standard website were made by engineers union office for standard author who is not from engineers union office? How come other photo like cosmopolitician is made by antony rhodes in judith tizard’ office if that is not collusion. Maybe if Standard is honest about collusions maybe people accept it as labour party spin but if you are not honest about it then people will know it as labour party spins and think you are not honest also.
dilip: This post is about National spending public money to finance public relations consultants. How exactly why the public purse should be paying for it is an interesting question.
But it doesn’t relate to this site – I pay for that. Labour doesn’t pay me for anything, but I have been known to give them donations. I’ve been a labour party member for a long time.
Tane: Helen does know about the site. I’ve told her what I’ve been doing in my spare time. She was concerned that it didn’t take too much of my volunteer time away from the election campaign. I think she’d be concerned if she knew how much time I actually spend on it!
I’ve told or shown the site to quite a lot of people as I’m always interested in increasing our readership.
CH aka BTP: exactly how many friends write on your blog? I see you are still as much of a prat as always. Are you interested in the EC decision as well?
Prat – Well I just went and read through your site to find something that was actually written by you.
The first post I ran into had you smearing Sue Bradford.
The second you were smearing anyone who supported Labour.
The third you were smearing Winston Peters.
If it’s any consolation, you don’t seem to be as bad as your mate Heine. Honestly, your blog is god-awful. I’d rather read kiwiblog, and I never read kiwiblog. I can’t imagine it’s much better than Whaleoil. Seriously, you posted a link to porn-for-the-blind? Jesus wept, Rodney must be proud to have you on side!
—
As to your complaint – They are practising what they preach. They supported the EFA, and now they’re abiding by it. If you think they’re not, quite being a whiny little toryboy and go lay a formal complaint.
If I was one of the authors I probably wouldn’t tell you my real name either.
Dilip: What Whale actually said was that some photos were done using the same instance of software as had also been done to produce pictures for the engineers site.
Now if he’d bothered to look at our About, he’d have found that we are proud of our union links. I’m pretty sure we have people writing here who are involved with unions.
Now Whale is a technical moron as I’ve discussed previously. But surely even he has heard of laptops. You know like the one I’m typing this on now. The one that goes with me from home to work every day. The one that I code stuff on for both paid work and voluntary work.
This is Whale’s proof? That the same software was used to produce things for different sites and therefore they were both used in working hours? He is even more of technical illiterate than I’d realized. That appears to be about as much proof as a fuckwit requires.
Hell I should write another post on exactly how an technical illiterate thinks…..
Oops – forgot to mention that this laptop is owned by me… The work one is at work collecting data.
BoomTownPrat:
You really are a prat aren’t you. Read our About. Hell – we boast about having involvement in the unions and the ‘left’.
However the only money spent on this site comes from my credit card each month. I’d presume you do the same?
We’re as transparent as you are. Probably more so because we actually give our general affiliations. Besides this is a blog which is (gasp) specifically excluded from the EFA.
Not that matters anyway because we’re not affiliated with a party and don’t advise people on how to vote. The writers do spend time pointing out problems with party policy and tactics including my favorite party (damn them). The cost is massively less than would be required for me to have to register under the EFA because the net is so cheap!
So in my opinion, you are just being a pompous dickhead.
BTW: Just added you to my moderation queue so I can personally attend to your points. I feel generous with my time today.
1) You implied Sue was responsible for child abuse (hall of shame)
2) You implied, through the “mushy” anecdote, that liberal arts majors were generally small minded pushovers who were sheltered from the real world and just wanted to be free to wring their hands while collecting art and drinking wine.
3) You called peters a worthless asswipe (or something along those lines, i’m not going back to read it again).
It doesn’t REMOTELY pretend to be impartial, it just refuses to make any unnecessary disclosures to nagging weirdos.
Sorry it took me a while to respond, I was busy learning how to do 3-d modeling so I can contribute more effectively to the anonymous crusade for all that is right and good in the world.
I was going to say that I would be highly surprised if she didn’t know about it. JK will as well and for the same reason – it’s another link into the publics thinking. I’d be highly surprised if they aren’t getting a summary of the more active threads at least.
You know Lynn, you’re really going to have to start looking at a defamation case or similar. Sad I know but these righties just don’t seem to listen unless you slap them around with a lawsuit or 3.
This thread is a good example of the attacks from the right derailing a thread – another misdirection?
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The other day, Australian Senator Nick McKim issued a warning in the Australian Parliement about the US’s descent into fascim.And of course it’s true, but I lament - that was true as soon as Trump won.What we see is now simply the reification of the intention, planning, and forces behind ...
Among the many other problems associated with Musk/DOGE sending a fleet of teenage and twenty-something cultists to remove, copy and appropriate federal records like social security, medicaid and other supposedly protected data is the fact that the youngsters doing the data-removal, copying and security protocol and filter code over-writing have ...
Jokerman dance to the nightingale tuneBird fly high by the light of the moonOh, oh, oh, JokermanSong by Bob Dylan.Morena folks, I hope this fine morning of the 7th of February finds you well. We're still close to Paihia, just a short drive out of town. Below is the view ...
It’s been an eventful week as always, so here’s a few things that we have found interesting. We also hope everyone had a happy and relaxing Waitangi Day! This week in Greater Auckland We’re still running on summer time, but provided two chewy posts: On Tuesday, a guest ...
Queuing on Queen St: the Government is set to announce another apparently splashy growth policy on Sunday of offering residence visas to wealthy migrants. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in our political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Friday, February 7:PM Christopher ...
The fact that Waitangi ended up being such a low-key affair may mark it out as one of the most significant Waitangi Days in recent years. A group of women draped in “Toitu Te Tiriti” banners who turned their backs on the politicians’ powhiri was about as rough as it ...
Hi,This week’s Flightless Bird episode was about “fake seizure guy” — a Melbourne man who fakes seizures in order to get members of the public to sit on him.The audio documentary (which I have included in this newsletter in case you don’t listen to Flightless Bird) built on reporting first ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Karin Kirk The 119th Congress comes with a price tag. The oil and gas industry gave about $24 million in campaign contributions to the members of the U.S. House and Senate expected to be sworn in January 3, 2025, according to a ...
Early morning, the shadows still long, but you can already feel the warmth building. Our motel was across the road from the historic homestead where Henry Williams' family lived. The evening before, we wandered around the gardens, reading the plaques and enjoying the close proximity to the history of the ...
Thanks folks for your feedback, votes and comments this week. I’ll be making the changes soon. Appreciate all your emails, comments and subscriptions too. I know your time is valuable - muchas gracias.A lot is happening both here and around the world - so I want to provide a snippets ...
Data released today by Statistics NZ shows that unemployment rose to 5.1%, with 33,000 more people out of work than last year said NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi Economist Craig Renney. “The latest data shows that employment fell in Aotearoa at its fastest rate since the GFC. Unemployment rose in 8 ...
The December labour market statistics have been released, showing yet another increase in unemployment. There are now 156,000 unemployed - 34,000 more than when National took office. And having thrown all these people out of work, National is doubling down on cruelty. Because being vicious will somehow magically create the ...
Boarded up homes in Kilbirnie, where work on a planned development was halted. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in our political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Wednesday, February 5 are;Housing Minister Chris Bishop yesterday announcedKāinga Ora would be stripped of ...
This week Kiwirail and Auckland Transport were celebrating the completion of the summer rail works that had the network shut or for over a month and the start of electric trains to Pukekohe. First up, here’s parts of the press release about the shutdown works. Passengers boarding trains in Auckland ...
Through its austerity measures, the coalition government has engineered a rise in unemployment in order to reduce inflation while – simultaneously – cracking down harder and harder on the people thrown out of work by its own policies. To that end, Social Development Minister Louise Upston this week added two ...
This year, we've seen a radical, white supremacist government ignoring its Tiriti obligations, refusing to consult with Māori, and even trying to legislatively abrogate te Tiriti o Waitangi. When it was criticised by the Waitangi Tribunal, the government sabotaged that body, replacing its legal and historical experts with corporate shills, ...
Poor old democracy, it really is in a sorry state. It would be easy to put all the blame on the vandals and tyrants presently trashing the White House, but this has been years in the making. It begins with Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan and the spirit of Gordon ...
The new school lunches came in this week, and they were absolutely scrumptious.I had some, and even though Connor said his tasted like “stodge” and gave him a sore tummy, I myself loved it!Look at the photos - I knew Mr Seymour wouldn’t lie when he told us last year:"It ...
The tighter sanctions are modelled on ones used in Britain, which did push people off ‘the dole’, but didn’t increase the number of workers, and which evidence has repeatedly shown don’t work. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in our political economy around housing, ...
Catching you up on the morning’s global news and a quick look at the parallels -GLOBALTariffs are backSharemarkets in the US, UK and Europe have “plunged” in response to Trump’s tariffs. And while Mexico has won a one month reprieve, Canada and China will see their respective 25% and 10% ...
This post by Nicolas Reid was originally published on Linked in. It is republished here with permission. Gondolas are often in the news, with manufacturers of ropeway systems proposing them as a modern option for mass transit systems in New Zealand. However, like every next big thing in transport, it’s hard ...
This is a re-post from The Climate BrinkBoth 2023 and 2024 were exceptionally warm years, at just below and above 1.5C relative to preindustrial in the WMO composite of surface temperature records, respectively. While we are still working to assess the full set of drivers of this warmth, it is clear that ...
Hi,I woke up feeling nervous this morning, realising that this weekend Flightless Bird is going to do it’s first ever live show. We’re heading to a sold out (!) show in Seattle to test the format out in front of an audience. If it works, we’ll do more. I want ...
From the United-For-Now States of America comes the thrilling news that a New Zealander may be at the very heart of the current coup. Punching above our weight on the world stage once more! Wait, you may be asking, what New Zealander? I speak of Peter Thiel, made street legal ...
Even Stevens: Over the 33 years between 1990 and 2023 (and allowing for the aberrant 2020 result) the average level of support enjoyed by the Left and Right blocs, at roughly 44.5 percent each, turns out to be, as near as dammit, identical.WORLDWIDE, THE PARTIES of the Left are presented ...
Back in 2023, a "prominent political figure" went on trial for historic sex offences. But we weren't allowed to know who they were or what political party they were "prominent" in, because it might affect the way we voted. At the time, I said that this was untenable; it was ...
I'm going, I'm goingWhere the water tastes like wineI'm going where the water tastes like wineWe can jump in the waterStay drunk all the timeI'm gonna leave this city, got to get awayI'm gonna leave this city, got to get awayAll this fussing and fighting, man, you know I sure ...
Waitangi Day is a time to honour Te Tiriti o Waitangi and stand together for a just and fair Aotearoa. Across the motu, communities are gathering to reflect, kōrero, and take action for a future built on equity and tino rangatiratanga. From dawn ceremonies to whānau-friendly events, there are ...
Subscribe to Mountain Tūī ! Where you too can learn about exciting things from a flying bird! Tweet.Yes - I absolutely suck at marketing. It’s a fact.But first -My question to all readers is:How should I set up the Substack model?It’s been something I’ve been meaning to ask since November ...
Here’s the key news, commentary, reports and debate around Aotearoa’s political economy on politics and in the week to Feb 3:PM Christopher Luxon began 2025’s first day of Parliament last Tuesday by carrying on where left off in 2024, letting National’s junior coalition partner set the political agenda and dragging ...
The PSA have released a survey of 4000 public service workers showing that budget cuts are taking a toll on the wellbeing of public servants and risking the delivery of essential services to New Zealanders. Economists predict that figures released this week will show continued increases in unemployment, potentially reaching ...
The Prime Minister’s speech 10 days or so ago kicked off a flurry of commentary. No one much anywhere near the mainstream (ie excluding Greens supporters) questioned the rhetoric. New Zealand has done woefully poorly on productivity for a long time and we really need better outcomes, and the sorts ...
President Trump on the day he announced tariffs against Mexico, Canada and China, unleashing a shock to supply chains globally that is expected to slow economic growth and increase inflation for most large economies. Photo: Getty ImagesLong stories short, the top six things in our political economy around housing, climate ...
Photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya on UnsplashHere’s what we’re watching in the week to February 9 and beyond in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty:Monday, February 3Politics: New Zealand Government cabinet meeting usually held early afternoon with post-cabinet news conference possible at 4 pm, although they have not been ...
Trump being Trump, it won’t come as a shock to find that he regards a strong US currency (bolstered by high tariffs on everything made by foreigners) as a sign of America’s virility, and its ability to kick sand in the face of the world. Reality is a tad more ...
A listing of 24 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, January 26, 2025 thru Sat, February 1, 2025. This week's roundup is again published soleley by category. We are still interested in feedback to hone the categorization, so if ...
What seems to be the common theme in the US, NZ, Argentina and places like Italy under their respective rightwing governments is what I think of as “the politics of cruelty.” Hate-mongering, callous indifference in social policy-making, corporate toadying, political bullying, intimidation and punching down on the most vulnerable with ...
If you are confused, check with the sunCarry a compass to help you alongYour feet are going to be on the groundYour head is there to move you aroundSo, stand in the place where you liveSongwriters: Bill Berry / Michael Mills / Michael Stipe / Peter Buck.Hot in the CityYesterday, ...
Shane Jones announced today he would be contracting out his thinking to a smarter younger person.Reclining on his chaise longue with a mouth full of oysters and Kina he told reporters:Clearly I have become a has-been, a palimpsest, an epigone, a bloviating fossil. I find myself saying such things as: ...
Warning: This post contains references to sexual assaultOn Saturday, I spent far too long editing a video on Tim Jago, the ACT Party President and criminal, who has given up his fight for name suppression after 2 years. He voluntarily gave up just in time for what will be a ...
Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. This fact brief was written by Sue Bin Park from the Gigafact team in collaboration with members from our team. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Is global warming ...
Our low-investment, low-wage, migration-led and housing-market-driven political economy has delivered poorer productivity growth than the rest of the OECD, and our performance since Covid has been particularly poor. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in our political economy around housing, climate and poverty this ...
..Thanks for reading Frankly Speaking ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.As far as major government announcements go, a Three Ministers Event is Big. It can signify a major policy development or something has gone Very Well, or an absolute Clusterf**k. When Three Ministers assemble ...
One of those blasts from the past. Peter Dunne – originally neoliberal Labour, then leader of various parties that sought to work with both big parties (generally National) – has taken to calling ...
Completed reads for January: I Am Legend, by Richard Matheson The Black Spider, by Jeremias Gotthelf The Spider and the Fly (poem), by Mary Howitt A Noiseless Patient Spider (poem), by Walt Whitman August Heat, by W.F. Harvey Charlotte’s Web, by E.B. White The Shrinking Man, by Richard Matheson ...
Do its Property Right Provisions Make Sense?Last week I pointed out that it is uninformed to argue that the New Zealand’s apparently poor economic performance can be traced only to poor regulations. Even were there evidence they had some impact, there are other factors. Of course, we should seek to ...
Richard Wagstaff It was incredibly jarring to hear the hubris from the Prime Minister during his recent state of the nation address. I had just spent close to a week working though the stories and thoughts shared with us by nearly 2000 working people as part of our annual Mood ...
Odd fact about the Broadcasting Standards Authority: for the last few years, they’ve only been upholding about 5% of complaints. Why? I think there’s a range of reasons. Generally responsible broadcasters. Dumb complaints. Complaints brought under the wrong standard. Greater adherence to broadcasters’ rights to freedom of expression in the ...
And I said, "Mama, mama, mama, why am I so alone"'Cause I can't go outside, I'm scared I might not make it homeWell I'm alive, I'm alive, but I'm sinking inIf there's anyone at home at your place, darlingWhy don't you invite me in?Don't try to feed me'Cause I've been ...
Climate Change Minister Simon Watts’ star is on the rise, having just added the Energy, Local Government and Revenue portfolios to his responsibilities - but there is nothing ambitious about the Government’s new climate targets. Photo: SuppliedLong stories short, the top six things in our political economy around housing, climate ...
New Zealand First has introduced a Member’s Bill aimed at preventing banks from refusing their services to businesses because of the current “Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Framework”. “This Bill ensures fairness and prevents ESG standards from perpetuating woke ideology in the banking sector being driven by unelected, globalist, climate ...
Erica Stanford has reached peak shortsightedness if today’s announcement is anything to go by, picking apart immigration settings piece by piece to the detriment of the New Zealand economy. ...
Our originating document, theTreaty of Waitangi, was signed on February 6, 1840. An agreement between Māori and the British Crown. Initially inked by Ngā Puhi in Waitangi, further signatures were added as it travelled south. The intention was to establish a colony with the cession of sovereignty to the Crown, ...
Te Whatu Ora Chief Executive Margie Apa leaving her job four months early is another symptom of this government’s failure to deliver healthcare for New Zealanders. ...
The Green Party is calling for the Prime Minister to show leadership and be unequivocal about Aotearoa New Zealand’s opposition to a proposal by the US President to remove Palestinians from Gaza. ...
The latest unemployment figures reveal that job losses are hitting Māori and Pacific people especially hard, with Māori unemployment reaching a staggering 9.7% for the December 2024 quarter and Pasifika unemployment reaching 10.5%. ...
Waitangi 2025: Waitangi Day must be community and not politically driven - Shane Jones Our originating document, theTreaty of Waitangi, was signed on February 6, 1840. An agreement between Māori and the British Crown. Initially inked by Ngā Puhi in Waitangi, further signatures were added as it travelled south. ...
Despite being confronted every day with people in genuine need being stopped from accessing emergency housing – National still won’t commit to building more public houses. ...
The Green Party says the Government is giving up on growing the country’s public housing stock, despite overwhelming evidence that we need more affordable houses to solve the housing crisis. ...
Before any thoughts of the New Year and what lies ahead could even be contemplated, New Zealand reeled with the tragedy of Senior Sergeant Lyn Fleming losing her life. For over 38 years she had faithfully served as a front-line Police officer. Working alongside her was Senior Sergeant Adam Ramsay ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson will return to politics at Waitangi on Monday the 3rd of February where she will hold a stand up with fellow co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick. ...
Te Pāti Māori is appalled by the government's blatant mishandling of the school lunch programme. David Seymour’s ‘cost-saving’ measures have left tamariki across Aotearoa with unidentifiable meals, causing distress and outrage among parents and communities alike. “What’s the difference between providing inedible food, and providing no food at all?” Said ...
The Government is doubling down on outdated and volatile fossil fuels, showing how shortsighted and destructive their policies are for working New Zealanders. ...
Green Party MP Steve Abel this morning joined Coromandel locals in Waihi to condemn new mining plans announced by Shane Jones in the pit of the town’s Australian-owned Gold mine. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to strengthen its just-announced 2030-2035 Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) under the Paris Agreement and address its woeful lack of commitment to climate security. ...
Today marks a historic moment for Taranaki iwi with the passing of the Te Pire Whakatupua mō Te Kāhui Tupua/Taranaki Maunga Collective Redress Bill in Parliament. "Today, we stand together as descendants of Taranaki, and our tūpuna, Taranaki Maunga, is now formally acknowledged by the law as a living tūpuna. ...
Labour is relieved to see Children’s Minister Karen Chhour has woken up to reality and reversed her government’s terrible decisions to cut funding from frontline service providers – temporarily. ...
It is the first week of David Seymour’s school lunch programme and already social media reports are circulating of revolting meals, late deliveries, and mislabelled packaging. ...
The Green Party says that with no-cause evictions returning from today, the move to allow landlords to end tenancies without reason plunges renters, and particularly families who rent, into insecurity and stress. ...
The Government’s move to increase speed limits substantially on dozens of stretches of rural and often undivided highways will result in more serious harm. ...
In her first announcement as Economic Growth Minister, Nicola Willis chose to loosen restrictions for digital nomads from other countries, rather than focus on everyday Kiwis. ...
The Government’s commitment to get New Zealand’s roads back on track is delivering strong results, with around 98 per cent of potholes on state highways repaired within 24 hours of identification every month since targets were introduced, Transport Minister Chris Bishop says. “Increasing productivity to help rebuild our economy is ...
The former Cadbury factory will be the site of the Inpatient Building for the new Dunedin Hospital and Health Minister Simeon Brown says actions have been taken to get the cost overruns under control. “Today I am giving the people of Dunedin certainty that we will build the new Dunedin ...
From today, Plunket in Whāngarei will be offering childhood immunisations – the first of up to 27 sites nationwide, Health Minister Simeon Brown says. The investment of $1 million into the pilot, announced in October 2024, was made possible due to the Government’s record $16.68 billion investment in health. It ...
New Zealand’s strong commitment to the rights of disabled people has continued with the response to an important United Nations report, Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston has announced. Of the 63 concluding observations of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), 47 will be progressed ...
Resources Minister Shane Jones has launched New Zealand’s national Minerals Strategy and Critical Minerals List, documents that lay a strategic and enduring path for the mineral sector, with the aim of doubling exports to $3 billion by 2035. Mr Jones released the documents, which present the Coalition Government’s transformative vision ...
Firstly I want to thank OceanaGold for hosting our event today. Your operation at Waihi is impressive. I want to acknowledge local MP Scott Simpson, local government dignitaries, community stakeholders and all of you who have gathered here today. It’s a privilege to welcome you to the launch of the ...
Racing Minister, Winston Peters has announced the Government is preparing public consultation on GST policy proposals which would make the New Zealand racing industry more competitive. “The racing industry makes an important economic contribution. New Zealand thoroughbreds are in demand overseas as racehorses and for breeding. The domestic thoroughbred industry ...
Business confidence remains very high and shows the economy is on track to improve, Economic Growth Minister Nicola Willis says. “The latest ANZ Business Outlook survey, released yesterday, shows business confidence and expected own activity are ‘still both very high’.” The survey reports business confidence fell eight points to +54 ...
Enabling works have begun this week on an expanded radiology unit at Hawke’s Bay Fallen Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital which will double CT scanning capacity in Hawke’s Bay to ensure more locals can benefit from access to timely, quality healthcare, Health Minister Simeon Brown says. This investment of $29.3m in the ...
The Government has today announced New Zealand’s second international climate target under the Paris Agreement, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand will reduce emissions by 51 to 55 per cent compared to 2005 levels, by 2035. “We have worked hard to set a target that is both ambitious ...
Nine years of negotiations between the Crown and iwi of Taranaki have concluded following Te Pire Whakatupua mō Te Kāhui Tupua/the Taranaki Maunga Collective Redress Bill passing its third reading in Parliament today, Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “This Bill addresses the historical grievances endured by the eight iwi ...
As schools start back for 2025, there will be a relentless focus on teaching the basics brilliantly so all Kiwi kids grow up with the knowledge, skills and competencies needed to grow the New Zealand of the future, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “A world-leading education system is a key ...
Housing Minister Chris Bishop and Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson have welcomed Kāinga Ora’s decision to re-open its tender for carpets to allow wool carpet suppliers to bid. “In 2024 Kāinga Ora issued requests for tender (RFTs) seeking bids from suppliers to carpet their properties,” Mr Bishop says. “As part ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour has today visited Otahuhu College where the new school lunch programme has served up healthy lunches to students in the first days of the school year. “As schools open in 2025, the programme will deliver nutritious meals to around 242,000 students, every school day. On ...
Minister for Children Karen Chhour has intervened in Oranga Tamariki’s review of social service provider contracts to ensure Barnardos can continue to deliver its 0800 What’s Up hotline. “When I found out about the potential impact to this service, I asked Oranga Tamariki for an explanation. Based on the information ...
A bill to make revenue collection on imported and exported goods fairer and more effective had its first reading in Parliament, Customs Minister Casey Costello said today. “The Customs (Levies and Other Matters) Amendment Bill modernises the way in which Customs can recover the costs of services that are needed ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Department of Internal Affairs [the Department] has achieved significant progress in completing applications for New Zealand citizenship. “December 2024 saw the Department complete 5,661 citizenship applications, the most for any month in 2024. This is a 54 per cent increase compared ...
Reversals to Labour’s blanket speed limit reductions begin tonight and will be in place by 1 July, says Minister of Transport Chris Bishop. “The previous government was obsessed with slowing New Zealanders down by imposing illogical and untargeted speed limit reductions on state highways and local roads. “National campaigned on ...
Finance Minister Nicola Willis has announced Budget 2025 – the Growth Budget - will be delivered on Thursday 22 May. “This year’s Budget will drive forward the Government’s plan to grow our economy to improve the incomes of New Zealanders now and in the years ahead. “Budget 2025 will build ...
For the Government, 2025 will bring a relentless focus on unleashing the growth we need to lift incomes, strengthen local businesses and create opportunity. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today laid out the Government’s growth agenda in his Statement to Parliament. “Just over a year ago this Government was elected by ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour welcomes students back to school with a call to raise attendance from last year. “The Government encourages all students to attend school every day because there is a clear connection between being present at school and setting yourself up for a bright future,” says Mr ...
The Government is relaxing visitor visa requirements to allow tourists to work remotely while visiting New Zealand, Economic Growth Minister Nicola Willis, Immigration Minister Erica Stanford and Tourism Minister Louise Upston say. “The change is part of the Government’s plan to unlock New Zealand’s potential by shifting the country onto ...
The opening of Kāinga Ora’s development of 134 homes in Epuni, Lower Hutt will provide much-needed social housing for Hutt families, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “I’ve been a strong advocate for social housing on Kāinga Ora’s Epuni site ever since the old earthquake-prone housing was demolished in 2015. I ...
Trade and Investment Minister Todd McClay will travel to Australia today for meetings with Australian Trade Minister, Senator Don Farrell, and the Australia New Zealand Leadership Forum (ANZLF). Mr McClay recently hosted Minister Farrell in Rotorua for the annual Closer Economic Relations (CER) Trade Ministers’ meeting, where ANZLF presented on ...
A new monthly podiatry clinic has been launched today in Wairoa and will bring a much-needed service closer to home for the Wairoa community, Health Minister Simeon Brown says.“Health New Zealand has been successful in securing a podiatrist until the end of June this year to meet the needs of ...
The Judicial Conduct Commissioner has recommended a Judicial Conduct Panel be established to inquire into and report on the alleged conduct of acting District Court Judge Ema Aitken in an incident last November, Attorney-General Judith Collins said today. “I referred the matter of Judge Aitken’s alleged conduct during an incident ...
Students who need extra help with maths are set to benefit from a targeted acceleration programme that will give them more confidence in the classroom, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “Last year, significant numbers of students did not meet the foundational literacy and numeracy level required to gain NCEA. To ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has announced three new diplomatic appointments. “Our diplomats play an important role in ensuring New Zealand’s interests are maintained and enhanced across the world,” Mr Peters says. “It is a pleasure to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and ...
Ki te kahore he whakakitenga, ka ngaro te Iwi – without a vision, the people will perish. The Government has achieved its target to reduce the number of households in emergency housing motels by 75 per cent five years early, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. The number of households ...
The opening of Palmerston North’s biggest social housing development will have a significant impact for whānau in need of safe, warm, dry housing, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. The minister visited the development today at North Street where a total of 50 two, three, and four-bedroom homes plus a ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced the new membership of the Public Advisory Committee on Disarmament and Arms Control (PACDAC), who will serve for a three-year term. “The Committee brings together wide-ranging expertise relevant to disarmament. We have made six new appointments to the Committee and reappointed two existing members ...
Ka nui te mihi kia koutou. Kia ora, good morning, talofa, malo e lelei, bula vinaka, da jia hao, namaste, sat sri akal, assalamu alaikum. It’s so great to be here and I’m ready and pumped for 2025. Can I start by acknowledging: Simon Bridges – CEO of the Auckland ...
The Government has unveiled a bold new initiative to position New Zealand as a premier destination for foreign direct investment (FDI) that will create higher paying jobs and grow the economy. “Invest New Zealand will streamline the investment process and provide tailored support to foreign investors, to increase capital investment ...
Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins today announced the largest reset of the New Zealand science system in more than 30 years with reforms which will boost the economy and benefit the sector. “The reforms will maximise the value of the $1.2 billion in government funding that goes into ...
Turbocharging New Zealand’s economic growth is the key to brighter days ahead for all Kiwis, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says. In the Prime Minister’s State of the Nation Speech in Auckland today, Christopher Luxon laid out the path to the prosperity that will affect all aspects of New Zealanders’ lives. ...
The latest set of accounts show the Government has successfully checked the runaway growth of public spending, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. “In the previous government’s final five months in office, public spending was almost 10 per cent higher than for the same period the previous year. “That is completely ...
The Government’s welfare reforms are delivering results with the number of people moving off benefits into work increasing year-on-year for six straight months. “There are positive signs that our welfare reset and the return consequences for job seekers who don't fulfil their obligations to prepare for or find a job ...
Jon Kroll and Aimee McCammon have been appointed to the New Zealand Film Commission Board, Arts Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “I am delighted to appoint these two new board members who will bring a wealth of industry, governance, and commercial experience to the Film Commission. “Jon Kroll has been an ...
Finance Minister Nicola Willis has hailed a drop in the domestic component of inflation, saying it increases the prospect of mortgage rate reductions and a lower cost of living for Kiwi households. Stats NZ reported today that inflation was 2.2 per cent in the year to December, the second consecutive ...
Two new appointed members and one reappointed member of the Employment Relations Authority have been announced by Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden today. “I’m pleased to announce the new appointed members Helen van Druten and Matthew Piper to the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) and welcome them to ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Danielle Mazza, Director, SPHERE NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence in Women’s Sexual and Reproductive Health in Primary Care and Professor and Head of the Department of General Practice, Monash University PeopleImages.com – Yuri A/Shutterstock Ahead of the government’s response this week ...
COMMENTARY:By Eugene Doyle It generally ends badly. An old tyrant embarks on an ill-considered project that involves redrawing maps. They are heedless to wise counsel and indifferent to indigenous interests or experience. Before they fail, are killed, deposed or otherwise disposed of, these vicious old men can cause immense ...
The Cook Islands PM is in Beijing to sign an agreement with China - but the government says he failed to consult with NZ on the matter, as is required. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katinka van de Ven, Alcohol and other drug specialist, UNSW Sydney Fewer young Australians are drinking. And when they do drink, they are drinking less and less often than previous generations at the same age. It’s a trend happening all around the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Flavio Macau, Associate Dean – School of Business and Law, Edith Cowan University Hitra/Shutterstock Coles is reducing its product range by at least 10%, a move that has sparked public backlash and renewed discussions about the role of supermarkets in the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jacinta Humphrey, Research Fellow in Urban Ecology, RMIT University Golf courses are sometimes seen as harmful to the environment. According to the popular notion, the grass soaks up too much water, is cut too short and sprayed with dangerous chemicals. But in ...
New Zealand has long championed a fair, stable, and resilient global order. As a nation with deep ties to the Pacific and beyond, we cannot afford to be passive in the face of these shifts. ...
Things are going to look a little different this year. Here’s what to expect.Good news, Shortland Street fans: after a well-earned summer holiday, New Zealand’s longest running drama returns to TVNZ2 and TVNZ+ tonight. Ahead of us is a fresh year of living, loving and laughing in the nation’s ...
The poll, conducted between 02 and 04 February, shows National up 2.3 points to 31.9 percent, while Labour has risen 0.4 points from last month to 31.3 percent. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katrina McFerran, Professor and Head of Creative Arts and Music Therapy Research Unit; Director of Researcher Development Unit, The University of Melbourne New York Public Library Many of us take pleasure in listening to music. Music accompanies important life events and ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katrina McFerran, Professor and Head of Creative Arts and Music Therapy Research Unit; Director of Researcher Development Unit, The University of Melbourne New York Public Library Many of us take pleasure in listening to music. Music accompanies important life events and ...
The Cook Islands finds itself in a precarious dance — one between the promises of foreign investments and the integrity of our own sovereignty. As the country sways between partners China and Aotearoa New Zealand, the Cook Islands News asks: “Do we continue to haka with the Taniwha, our constitutional ...
A diplomatic scuffle with the Cook Islands. Plus: What went down at Waitangi. The Cook Islands prime minister, Mark Brown, has provoked the wrath of the New Zealand foreign minister with his decision to head to China to sign a new strategic deal. By failing to consult on the ...
The deputy chairperson of the Australasian College of Emergency Medicine, Dr Michael Connelly, said simply setting targets without "resourcing" them was a pointless exercise, as the number of patients - and their acuity - continuing to grow. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Suvradip Maitra, PhD Student, Australian National University Tero Vesalainen/Shutterstock Late last year, ChatGPT was used by a Victorian child protection worker to draft documents. In a glaring error, ChatGPT referred to a “doll” used for sexual purposes as an “age-appropriate toy”. ...
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Now this is going to be interesting. Can’t wait to see where it leads…
Captcha: Account Police – sounds like they could be needed 8)
Ah, this just gets better and better. LOL
So National are using as disreputable company as Crosby/Textor and getting the taxpayer to pay for it. Assuming that they were aware they might get caught, what were they thinking?
Are they so sure they’re going to win that they’re willing to take this kind of risk in an attempt to get an outright majority?
Do they think they are entitled? That somehow being on the opposition benches entitles them to cheat?
Are they so used to the greys of politics that they have lost sight of moral black and white? Well, except as can be used to their PR advantage.
Are they so confident of their ability to spin that they were sure they could cloud the issue?
Finally, why use their PS allocation for this? What’re the spending the rest of their money on? What not run invoices as controversial as this through the party?
Maybe they are keeping party funds back for legal challenges/snap election expenses next year – y’know just in case things don’t turn out how they expect. Again.
Hey, you’re stealing their policies!
flip flop!
Anita: “Assuming that they were aware they might get caught, what were they thinking?”
That the electorate might not care. This does seem a bit overconfident, but so far the electorate doesn’t seem to care.
“That somehow being on the opposition benches entitles them to cheat?”
It’s not a sport governed by a sportsmanlike code of honour. It’s just not cricket. It’s not even beach cricket!
“Are they so confident of their ability to spin that they were sure they could cloud the issue?”
I reckon so.
“Finally, why use their PS allocation for this? What’re the spending the rest of their money on?”
Can’t answer this. I can only answer what they seem to not be spending their money on, and that’s policy.
Raises an interesting issue, though: since the Auditor-General ruled that Parliamentary Services money (specifically from the leader’s budget) couldn’t be spent on electioneering, National clearly consider the employment of Crosby/Textor to not be electioneering. At this stage I’d agree it isn’t – but the campaign is yet at a simmer. I wonder if this is a possible avenue for challenge – either in the courts or in the court of public opinion?
L
[lprent: Banned I believe..
Finally, why use their PS allocation for this?
Well it worked pretty well for them last election, so why change? Spend the money early on something with no tangible product to be challenged, avoid any audit associated with the months before the election, then get stuck in to any other party that spends their PS money on any kind of communication with the electorate.
It’s an option available only to a party with plenty of private money to spend. Shut down the other voices any way you can. Brilliant in a way, if you care only about winning, and nothing about democracy.
Hey – now Whale really has something to sink his teeth into. He seems to really dislike parties rorting public monies.
I think I’ll watch his blog for a few days to ask him when the big story of the election starts… Unless of course he doesn’t really mean what he says?
For that matter – DPF?
Heres the thing. I don’t care. I don’t really think much of National but I will vote for them at the next election because I absolutely loathe Labour and the Greens. For me, the tipping point was the ludicrous anti-smacking bollix. I don’t need the government to tell me how to raise my children. Then theres all the anti-smoking bullshit. Not only that, but Labours hidden agendas such as civil unions and legalised whoredom have turned me against them as well. They had no mandate from the people for any of this liberal rubbish. Come November they will be gone, because the election is now Nationals to lose. Goodbye to Labour and the awful Helen Clark. Into the dustbin of history you go, theres a good socialist.
[lprent: Look – another stamped out of the mould troll – but this one is better educated – it can use capitals. I like trolls. Mostly I like banning them for idiotic behavior.]
For me, the tipping point was the ludicrous anti-smacking bollix.
Bad news sweetheart, National voted for that too!
Why not vote for a party whose policies you actually support? Sounds like the Kiwi Party is right up your alley.
I wonder if police will be investigating the venting system at Parliament to see if Nicky Harger might have been able to sneak in (like in Mission Impossible) and pay the invoices without National knowing. After all he can hack impenetrable government computers.
So anybody who disagrees with you is a troll? Is that how it works? As for voting for a party whose policies I support, well, unfortunately there isn’t one.
[lprent: Nope, there are a lot of people on here who disagree with both me and the party I support. Some of them write posts, some comment, and some moderate. Hell – I disagree with almost everyone including the people that I agree with.
What we do tend to agree on is that people who cannot argue a point, don’t have a sense of humour, and just throw up the same old tired lines over and over again – can be called Trolls. What I have determined (after a long and careful investigation) is that I don’t like mindless trolls. My rule of thumb is that if I could build a program to replicate a persons comments with a phrase dictionary and a randomisation function – then I treat them as a troll.
To date you’ve thrown up an opinion rant which I’ve seen many times before with no backing evidence or argument about why these things are wrong or even if they are correct.
So as you can see, the solution for you is simple. Write something that convinces me you aren’t a bad program that needs substantial debugging. Show me that there is some intelligence there somewhere. Otherwise your life span here gets very short.]
Well, it was just my own opinion, thats all.
[lprent: It looked more like an opinion for whales blog. Have a look around here and you’ll find the ‘standard’ is higher (chortle – now I wonder who is going to argue about that statement).]
Haha, a bit thin skinned aren’t ya mate?
LabourSucks. Anyone is welcome to comment if they make intelligent comments but three things tend to wreck threads
– commentators who hurl mindless abuse
– commentators ranting or repeating slogans without any thoughtful argument
– commentators who get all egotistical
If you want to comment in one of those styles, please take it to kiwiblog.
By clamping down on it here, we get much better threads and that encourages more people to participate who would stay silent if the thread was full of the above.
“Nat’s spending your money to build brand Key.”
Great title for the thread lads.
In light of todays revelations about this blog we can rest easy in the knowledge that “Labour is spending your money to destroy brand Key.’
Unless DPF and WhaleOil are lying of course.
Well I know who I’m more likely to trust (and it isn’t a pornographer and his mate).
We receive no funding from Labour or any organisation. The only cost is the $160 a month Lynn pays for the server.
Word is, Lynn once stole a leprechaun’s gold and pays for the server out of that.
bill brown, they have written some fairly comprehensive posts today outing some of the posters here as paid bloggers and it appears some of them are funded by the tax payer. They are fairly serious allegations and probably deserve a response.
So basically you are recommending posting at kiwiblog because… you are opposed to free speech. Ok then.
That may well be the case steve (or whatever your name is [it’s Clinton Smith]) But can you answer this question?
Are you or any of your fellow posters employed by parliamentary services? If yes, is it okay for any of you to be blogging on publicly owned equipment while drawing a taxpayer funded salary?
[Tane: No, we receive no taxpayer funding or assistance. This blog is run voluntarily by activists in their own time and our opinions are our own.]
How many people have the standard banned now lprent?
Here is a list of things about which I do not care.
I do not care that National utilise C/T and have done so for many years.
I do not care if the Standard is or isn’t manned by public servants and in cahoots with Labour. (It’s a blog lighten up people)
I do not care if the posters and commenters on this site blog on occasion during work time (- so do I – a bit of a break every now and then is quite pleasant).
Tane, you are being slippery. The question I asked was are any of your posters employed by parliamentary services? In light of the title of this post I believe the question is on topic and germane to the argument.
LabourSucks. I’m opposed to crap speech – we want to provide a forum for intelligent debate from all angles and views. we don’t have to provide a forum for insults, mindless slogans etc if we don’t want to, and we don’t.
barsnelybill. We’re not going to go through every name or organisation you can list. We are not funded by the taxpayer or any organisation, nor are we directed or controlled by any other organisation. we are individuals writing as individuals and that’s that.
Are you or any of your fellow posters employed by parliamentary services? If yes, is it okay for any of you to be blogging on publicly owned equipment while drawing a taxpayer funded salary?
That is such a weak attack barnsley. Why should parliamentary services employees using publicly owned equipment drawing a taxpayer funded salary be any more culpable than someone doing the same thing for a privately owned company?
Yes, it’s ok. So long as they’re still doing their jobs to a reasonable standard I couldn’t give a damn. You might claim they’re not doing them as well as they could if they gave them their undivided attention, but the same is true of every person who checks out some auctions on trademe while at work. The secratary at Price Waterhouse playing solitaire is increasing the cost of your accounting services just as much as a public services employee writing on a weblog is increasing your tax spend.
If they’re underperforming they’ll get fired, and if they’re not then you’ve got no basis for complaint. Unless their job description and recognised role is “political blogger” then it’s irrelevant where and for whom they work.
—
Good job with the name there ‘Labour Sucks’. Did you think that up all by yourself or did your dog help you?
Steve, you wrote; “we want to provide a forum for intelligent debate from all angles and views. we don’t have to provide a forum for insults, mindless slogans etc if we don’t want to, and we don’t.”
Good for you, we agree on that point at least. I tired of the vitriol quite some time ago (unless it is aimed at roger nome).
However, you guys are constantly having a crack at DPF for his self confessed links to national but remain hidden in the shadows. Today’s revelations about the employment status of some of your posters is relevant to this post and deserves a response.
Surely you can see you lay yourselves open to accusations of hypocrisy if indeed you have parliamentary services staffers posting anonymously and constantly attacking John key?
Mr Pierson is it not coincidence that many of “individuals” who write for Standard also work in ministers office and for union office? If you say that then you say that exclusive brethren people were just “individuals” businessmen and just coincidence they are exclusive brethrens.
[lprent: Have you read the About page?]
higherstandard – we probably don’t have these moments all that often, but nevertheless…
high five
Yeah HS, I’ve given you a fair amount of stick, but well said.
( Apart the bit about c/t. That matters dammit 😉 )
You are better sort of rightie than most in the blogosphere. Do you hang about at many RW blogs?
Dilip etc http://www.thestandard.org.nz/?page_id=2#who_are_you
TR and PB
Funeral earlier today – tends to put things in perspective.
As Lynn says on occasion rightie and leftie is all a bit misleading I think most people fall into each camp dependent on the specific areas under discussion (I do anyway).
T-Rex.. You wrote;
“That is such a weak attack barnsley. Why should parliamentary services employees using publicly owned equipment drawing a taxpayer funded salary be any more culpable than someone doing the same thing for a privately owned company?
Yes, it’s ok. So long as they’re still doing their jobs to a reasonable standard I couldn’t give a damn. You might claim they’re not doing them as well as they could if they gave them their undivided attention, but the same is true of every person who checks out some auctions on trademe while at work. The secratary at Price Waterhouse playing solitaire is increasing the cost of your accounting services just as much as a public services employee writing on a weblog is increasing your tax spend.”
But they are not bidding on dildo’s on trademe or playing solitaire are they?
If they are parliamentary services staffers then they should say so. They are posting on an extreme left wing attack site in the course of their daily activities. Bit of a difference between trade me and the standard. I am sure they are doing their jobs to a very reasonable standard, however posting anonymously at the behest of their titular employer is an inference that is hard to avoid.
Pardon me Mr Pierson I do not read where it say Standard has writings from people who work in prime minister office or union office on your website, this seems very important if you do write from prime minister office and people have right to know. I also ask earlier how many commenter people banned so far from standard Mr Pierson.
But they are not bidding on dildo’s on trademe or playing solitaire are they?
They might be – it’s a free country!
Get your hand off it, this is not “an extreme attack site”.
The conflict of interest that would exist for a public services staff member posting on a political blog is no greater than that of a private enterprise staffer doing the same.
Like HS says, it’s a freaking blog. As long as they’re not getting paid to do it, and I don’t mean “vague association of interests” paid, I mean “boss asking how the blog posting is coming along and whether there’s been any progress, taken into consideration come salary review” paid, then they’ve got no obligation to disclose anything to you, and are commiting no offence under the EFA.
It’s. A. Blog.
If you don’t like how what gets said here makes you feel it might be a sign you should reconsider your own views. Protesting that it’s being said is just pathetic. Especially for someone who claims to value free speech so highly.
funny. I get emails every other day accusing us of not being leftwing enough.
“however posting anonymously at the behest of their titular employer is an inference that is hard to avoid”
and since that inference is entirely incorrect, you can see another reason why we don’t divulge names and occupations. No writer of The Standard writes on behalf of their employer or as a member of any organisation..
Mr Pierson you do not let people make up own minds about inference because you hide it just like exclusive brethren said they are just six businessmen independent of church.
You have to hand it to some of these right wing nut jobs. They can’t debate the points, they can’t debate the policies, they can’t debate the data. But they sure are persistent in their personal attacks on the creators of The Standard.
Bill – go water your flowers. Dilip – Steve is not obliged to answer your questions. You both are guests here. Get a life. And while you’re at it, read the about page:
http://www.thestandard.org.nz/?page_id=2
I thank you. Goodnight.
Ah Dilip – exactly WHY do you have a RIGHT to know anything about this blog? Show me the legislation? Show me the common law? Show me the InternetNZ requirements? Hell show me any reason I should listen to you on this subject.
Whale’s ‘evidence’ is just pathetic. You could have equally shown that people here were employees of the “Daily Show” on exactly the same basis.
It seems to me that the writers are on the right line targeting the C/T links – The Nat’s lack of policy and Key. They must be worrying someone.
Mr Prent please don’t be angry I just say the electral finance law say a blog is exempt if written by individual on non-commercial bases. Standard is not exempt from law. This is law Standard defend. Your argument say nobody has right to know who give money to political party or who campaign, but that was what elecral finance law fix. If there is blog from right winger group not individual who campaign from National Party office that is not exempt either and should register. I think maybe easier if Standard just honest about work in prime minister office and union office.
Yeah, how many attempts have we had now? I’ve kind of lost count.
Yeah, how many attempts have we had now? I’ve kind of lost count.
This is at least the third major wave of it that I remember. I’m not involved at all and I’m still heartily sick of it.
Must be a sign that The Standard is doing good work I say. Onwards!
” however posting anonymously at the behest of their titular employer is an inference that is hard to avoid.”
Hard to arrive at more like.
And if you think this site is ‘extreme left’ you don’t know what either word means.
And if this is an ‘attack site’ I guess Whaleoil’s little shothole must be a fully operational blog fncking death star.
Sigh… How you decant “personal attacks” from politely worded questioning is beyond me. Have a look at the title of this post and then google “irony” guys.
And as far as IPRENT’s asking “what right do any of us have to ask”..
I completely agree. Your blog, your rules.
I look forward to the conclusion of play at the end of November. Irrespective of the score at full time I hope that we can all get together, have a beer and shoot the 5hit about stuff other than politics.
Dilip: This blog has posts written by individuals on a non-commercial basis. Who their employer is, is just not relevant, as they write on their own behalf and on their own time.
There is some question about multi-author blogs under the EFA. That is still being looked at by the electoral commission after a number of complaints against this and other sites.
It will affect a number of sites if the EC’s decision is different from what I expect. If it is then I’ll adjust the site to conform with the ruling – probably more on the lines of Hardtalk. Depends on the decision.
But all of that is moot since the cost of the site is just the cost of the server – now sitting at $160/month + the domain costs. This is paid by me. This also falls well below the $12k/year in the EFA. So it doesn’t have to even be declared under the EFA.
So what are you talking about??
bb:
Maybe. But I’d still expect that most of the posters will still be anonymous as the site carries on. I’m old enough and skilled enough that it doesn’t really affect me what I wrote on a blog 20 years ago. But for the younger bods (which I infer from their writing) who do write here it is more of a consideration.
I suspect the politics will carry on post election, but probably with more room for other things.
Besides – politely worded? I had a look at DPF’s comment section. It looks like a list of every defective dickhead I’ve ever booted from here.
With regard to the “politely worded” comment, I was referring to myself rather than the lot who have all bought rope and booked lamp posts for the ninth floor staffers IP.
Mr Prent that is interesting and I hope electoral commission make decision soon because good to know what decision is. But there are other cost of blog as well not just host cost also cost of author time if they write from prime minister office for a lot of hours or union office for a lot of hours, could be more than twelve thousand dollar.
lprent said
“This blog has posts written by individuals on a non-commercial basis. Who their employer is, is just not relevant, as they write on their own behalf and on their own time.”
substitute pamphlet for blog………..and religion for employer and waddaya got………..tada ” chinless scarf wearers.”
Hollow, Hollow, Hypocrites
Mr Prent if I am not wrong this post is about spin from National spend money on secret tool to make John Key look better, how is discussion of spin from labour spend money on secret tool to make John Key look bad from Standard? You want to know who is behind John Key and National because you think important to have accountability then why not make Standard accountable also and tell who secret spin machine writing Standard for labour party?
BoomTownBrat.
The problem with the Excluive Brethern was that they and National had coordinated their campaigns to cirumvent National’s spending cap and tried to keep that relationship secret. There is no such arrangment between The Standard and any political party or other organisation.
Dilip. Writers write in their own time. Myself, I write in the morning or evening, and at lunchtime if something comes up. I do a few comments through the day but that’s nothing unusual, it’s just the same as you and most commentators are doing at work.
Hey Prat,
Substitue blog for pamphlet… yup. Then substitute employer for religion… umm… if you say so.
Then we should probably substitute ‘independent initiative’ for ‘direct and repeated collusion’.
Would probably be fair to also substitute “essentially nothing” for “several hundreds of thousands of dollars”.
Oh yeah, and while we’re at it we should substitute “bunch of guys” for “avowed politically independent cult”.
Fair bit of substitution really…
Maybe you should go back to posting your pathetically desperate smear on your own godawful site like usual.
why not make Standard accountable also and tell who secret spin machine writing Standard for labour party?
Becaues we don’t write spin, or anything, for the Labour Party. Many of us, including myself, don’t even vote for them. In fact, I find it quite insulting to be accused of writing spin for Labour given they’re so bloody dreadful at it.
I know it’s hard for many on the right to understand, but we express our own individual opinions here and we do it because we believe in social democratic principles, not in pursuit of a pay cheque or on someone’s orders.
Sure we have the odd contact here and there in politics and the media, but we certainly don’t have a line to Helen Clark or anyone even remotely close – I’d be surprised if she even knows who we are.
All I can chalk this up to is another attempt from the right to shut down a blog they can’t match themselves.
I think people, including most journalists, do misunderstand what the problem with the EB was (just as they misunderstand what the problem with C/T is).
The National-EB alliance was a secret alliance to circumvent National’s spending imits with a massive secret campaign. It doesn’t matter that it was the EB, it could have been the Rotary Club or the Herald – it was the secret conspiracy to circumvent the law and democratic process, not the actors that mattered.
We have no secret alliance with anyone, we’re not out to circumvent electoral law (in fact, I strongly support it) and we believe in democratising the democratic process.
Tane – your last sentence is it I think.
It must drive them nuts that they can hire C/T and spend millions on focus groups and rebranding and they still get ripped to sh*t by people messing around in their spare time.
I can just imagine the boardroom scene in Sydney…
They’re using humour against us! Those BASTARDS! Drag a bunch of people in off the street and run some focus groups to find out what’s funny these days, we’ll show those damn hippies!
Actually that’s probably where Liarbore came from.
T-Rex,
“independent initiative”, well that’s the issue isn’t it?
Why not in the interests of transparency and openness confirm that independence. Because rather than your reactionary diatribe, David Farrars analysis seems to point to a more co ordinated collusion between the ninth floor and the EPMU comms staff.
This blog supported a flawed and anti democratic bill under the pretence that covert and dishonest forces were manipulating opinion in New Zealand.
This Key attack blog (and that really all this so called initiative amounts to), has been less than honest about it’s authors and how much it costs to runs and when these people run it.
I say again, in the interests of transparency, practice what you preach.
Also…name one person I have smeared on Clint Heine and Friends?
[lprent: You posted that you were moderated here because of your opinions. In reality it was because of your language matching some parameters in the anti-spam file. Your response to my pointing that out was interesting. I wouldn’t call it a smear – more of an idiot expressing themselves.
We have been quite clear on exactly how much this blog costs. Currently $160 per month after the last upgrade.]
Mr Pierson thank you for reply. How come evidence say photos on standard website were made by engineers union office for standard author who is not from engineers union office? How come other photo like cosmopolitician is made by antony rhodes in judith tizard’ office if that is not collusion. Maybe if Standard is honest about collusions maybe people accept it as labour party spin but if you are not honest about it then people will know it as labour party spins and think you are not honest also.
Ah – I see the illiterates have descended…
dilip: This post is about National spending public money to finance public relations consultants. How exactly why the public purse should be paying for it is an interesting question.
But it doesn’t relate to this site – I pay for that. Labour doesn’t pay me for anything, but I have been known to give them donations. I’ve been a labour party member for a long time.
Tane: Helen does know about the site. I’ve told her what I’ve been doing in my spare time. She was concerned that it didn’t take too much of my volunteer time away from the election campaign. I think she’d be concerned if she knew how much time I actually spend on it!
I’ve told or shown the site to quite a lot of people as I’m always interested in increasing our readership.
CH aka BTP: exactly how many friends write on your blog? I see you are still as much of a prat as always. Are you interested in the EC decision as well?
Prat – Well I just went and read through your site to find something that was actually written by you.
The first post I ran into had you smearing Sue Bradford.
The second you were smearing anyone who supported Labour.
The third you were smearing Winston Peters.
If it’s any consolation, you don’t seem to be as bad as your mate Heine. Honestly, your blog is god-awful. I’d rather read kiwiblog, and I never read kiwiblog. I can’t imagine it’s much better than Whaleoil. Seriously, you posted a link to porn-for-the-blind? Jesus wept, Rodney must be proud to have you on side!
—
As to your complaint – They are practising what they preach. They supported the EFA, and now they’re abiding by it. If you think they’re not, quite being a whiny little toryboy and go lay a formal complaint.
If I was one of the authors I probably wouldn’t tell you my real name either.
Dilip: What Whale actually said was that some photos were done using the same instance of software as had also been done to produce pictures for the engineers site.
Now if he’d bothered to look at our About, he’d have found that we are proud of our union links. I’m pretty sure we have people writing here who are involved with unions.
Now Whale is a technical moron as I’ve discussed previously. But surely even he has heard of laptops. You know like the one I’m typing this on now. The one that goes with me from home to work every day. The one that I code stuff on for both paid work and voluntary work.
This is Whale’s proof? That the same software was used to produce things for different sites and therefore they were both used in working hours? He is even more of technical illiterate than I’d realized. That appears to be about as much proof as a fuckwit requires.
Hell I should write another post on exactly how an technical illiterate thinks…..
Oops – forgot to mention that this laptop is owned by me… The work one is at work collecting data.
Really T-Rex, what was the smear there?
and……unlike you, many of our readers don’t have Mary Whitehouse prudish sensibilities.
Bottom line is this.
Labour (and its sister Key attack blog) argued for transparency and accountability in New Zealand politics.
This blog does neither.
It pretends to be independent, were it is clear that its genesis and its maintenance are on the books of the NZ Labour Party and the EPMU.
BoomTownPrat:
You really are a prat aren’t you. Read our About. Hell – we boast about having involvement in the unions and the ‘left’.
However the only money spent on this site comes from my credit card each month. I’d presume you do the same?
We’re as transparent as you are. Probably more so because we actually give our general affiliations. Besides this is a blog which is (gasp) specifically excluded from the EFA.
Not that matters anyway because we’re not affiliated with a party and don’t advise people on how to vote. The writers do spend time pointing out problems with party policy and tactics including my favorite party (damn them). The cost is massively less than would be required for me to have to register under the EFA because the net is so cheap!
So in my opinion, you are just being a pompous dickhead.
BTW: Just added you to my moderation queue so I can personally attend to your points. I feel generous with my time today.
Charade she is 😉
Anyway:
1) You implied Sue was responsible for child abuse (hall of shame)
2) You implied, through the “mushy” anecdote, that liberal arts majors were generally small minded pushovers who were sheltered from the real world and just wanted to be free to wring their hands while collecting art and drinking wine.
3) You called peters a worthless asswipe (or something along those lines, i’m not going back to read it again).
It doesn’t REMOTELY pretend to be impartial, it just refuses to make any unnecessary disclosures to nagging weirdos.
Sorry it took me a while to respond, I was busy learning how to do 3-d modeling so I can contribute more effectively to the anonymous crusade for all that is right and good in the world.
Haha 🙂
I was going to say that I would be highly surprised if she didn’t know about it. JK will as well and for the same reason – it’s another link into the publics thinking. I’d be highly surprised if they aren’t getting a summary of the more active threads at least.
You know Lynn, you’re really going to have to start looking at a defamation case or similar. Sad I know but these righties just don’t seem to listen unless you slap them around with a lawsuit or 3.
This thread is a good example of the attacks from the right derailing a thread – another misdirection?