Search Results

  1. Inequality – two excellent pieces

    Written By:  notices and features -  Date published: 8:55 am, December 14th, 2014 -  65 comments
    Categories: capitalism, class war, economy, poverty
    Tags: , , , ,

    Inequality has been very much in the news recently. Friday saw the publication of two really excellent pieces that between them provide a comprehensive, if depressing overview.

  2. Denying the truth no way to run a country

    Written By:  Anthony R0bins -  Date published: 12:09 pm, December 10th, 2014 -  16 comments
    Categories: accountability, bill english, class war, economy, spin
    Tags: , , ,

    Right-wingers recently got all hot and bothered about the idea of “recall elections”. Perhaps we do need them, not for the scandal of a Mayor having a bathroom, but for governments that systematically and cynically deny the truth, to the detriment of us all.

  3. Organising to win

    Written By:  Mike Smith -  Date published: 7:31 pm, December 9th, 2014 -  13 comments
    Categories: activism, Andrew Little, australian politics, campaigning, democratic participation, elections
    Tags:

    Labor’s win in the recent Victorian state election was historic – the first time a one-term government had been turned out for more than 60 years. It was also a fantastic example of how organisation can win elections. Labor leader Daniel Andrews’  focus was on having  5500 active volunteers behind him.

  4. Ambrose to sue Key

    Written By:  notices and features -  Date published: 7:41 am, December 9th, 2014 -  76 comments
    Categories: accountability, john key, journalism, Media
    Tags: ,

    Key is carrying plenty of baggage now. Haunted not only by dirty politics, but also the scandal of the election before, the teapot tapes.

  5. Police neutrality

    Written By:  Anthony R0bins -  Date published: 8:50 am, December 5th, 2014 -  113 comments
    Categories: Abuse of power, accountability, david parker, Dirty Politics, police
    Tags: , , , ,

    If anyone thought that David Parker was content to fade quietly into obscurity, they been proven thoroughly wrong. Parker has confronted one of politics’ sacred cows – police neutrality.

  6. SISters are doin’ it for themselves

    Written By:  Guest post -  Date published: 2:02 pm, December 1st, 2014 -  1 comment
    Categories: humour, music, Spying
    Tags:

    Got me smiling about no laughing matter!

  7. Supping with the Devil

    Written By:  Bryan Gould -  Date published: 10:25 am, December 1st, 2014 -  166 comments
    Categories: Politics
    Tags:

    Slater holds John Key’s place in that history in the palm of his hand. If Slater calls the Prime Minister, of course that frightened man will jump to it.

  8. Too much noise

    Written By:  Anthony R0bins -  Date published: 7:46 am, December 1st, 2014 -  36 comments
    Categories: accountability, john key
    Tags: , ,

    The next time Key repeats the lie that there was “too much noise”, I suggest that the interviewer play the audio of the event to the audience, and let them hear for themselves.

  9. Scott Campbell: Liar on The Nation

    Written By:  lprent -  Date published: 11:26 pm, November 30th, 2014 -  93 comments
    Categories: blogs, David Farrar, journalism, making shit up, Politics
    Tags: , , , , ,

    Scott Campbell made a statement on The Nation this weekend about this site being used to attack him as a journalist in 2007/8. After having a good look around for evidence on site, I have concluded that Scott Campbell simply lied. Quite why this comms specialist for the right made this lie I don’t know. But I’m quite pissed off about it.

  10. The week that was

    Written By:  mickysavage -  Date published: 9:32 am, November 30th, 2014 -  55 comments
    Categories: john key, national, uncategorized
    Tags: ,

    The past week has been a terrific one for Andrew Little and a very bad one for John Key, thanks to Cameron Slater.  Key failing to cut contact with Slater is bizarre.  It makes you wonder what Slater has on Key.

  11. Democracy, Money and Power

    Written By:  KJT -  Date published: 9:18 am, November 27th, 2014 -  6 comments
    Categories: Abuse of power, brand key, class war, democracy under attack, democratic participation, Economy, monetary policy, overseas investment, poverty, Privatisation
    Tags:

    The stage was long ago reached where members of the US Government were told they should “wear their sponsors logo’s on their shirts”.

  12. ImperatorFish: A statement from John Key

    Written By:  notices and features -  Date published: 8:17 am, November 27th, 2014 -  14 comments
    Categories: john key, Satire
    Tags:

    Apologise? What for? I’m not sorry for anything. I have done nothing wrong. It’s Phil Goff who should be apologising. It’s Phil Goff who should resign.

  13. Honourable

    Written By:  Bunji -  Date published: 10:20 am, November 26th, 2014 -  17 comments
    Categories: Abuse of power, accountability, Judith Collins
    Tags:

    A list of things that are apparently now Honourable, even if you didn’t undermine your SFO boss.

  14. Key will apologise to Slater but not Billingsley or Vance

    Written By:  Natwatch -  Date published: 7:30 am, November 25th, 2014 -  21 comments
    Categories: david parker, john key, labour, national
    Tags: , ,

    John Key has apologised to Cameron Slater for releasing an email which details a campaign against a senior Public Servant.

  15. National identity

    Written By:  Anthony R0bins -  Date published: 9:52 am, November 24th, 2014 -  49 comments
    Categories: history, identity
    Tags: , ,

    A recent report from the Waitangi Tribunal questions the “constitutional” foundation of NZ and challenges the received wisdom of our history.

  16. Polity: Income mobility

    Written By:  notices and features -  Date published: 12:43 pm, November 21st, 2014 -  17 comments
    Categories: David Farrar, treasury
    Tags: ,

    David Farrar seldom seems to actually read the reports fully before he starts inventing meaningless canards. A theoretical equality of opportunity is irrelevant when your parent’s lack of disposable income is the major determinant of your own education and opportunities. We waste the opportunities from peoples abilities because of income inequalities.

  17. Labour and the unions

    Written By:  Anthony R0bins -  Date published: 8:26 am, November 19th, 2014 -  109 comments
    Categories: Andrew Little, labour, leadership, Unions
    Tags:

    In which I ponder my 2c on the leadership race, and the path ahead for Labour and the unions…

  18. NRT: A low R&D economy

    Written By:  notices and features -  Date published: 1:24 pm, November 18th, 2014 -  12 comments
    Categories: Economy
    Tags: , , ,

    The Herald this morning reports that New Zealand is near the bottom in global R&D spending. Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce is in full denial mode, saying that this doesn’t reflect what he’s seen. But he did make his money from being a crony capitalist, so perhaps he just can’t recognize innovation?

  19. Polity: Bonza

    Written By:  notices and features -  Date published: 11:56 am, November 17th, 2014 -  39 comments
    Categories: australian politics, climate change, International, science
    Tags: ,

    Poor old Tony Abbott. Thrust into the limelight of hosting the world’s biggest economic meeting, and his true colours come out for everyone to see. Not a happy weekend for Tony Abbott and, by extension, for Australia. Perhaps “bumpkin” would be a better title

  20. He Whakaputanga me te Tiriti – The Declaration and the Treaty

    Written By:  mickysavage -  Date published: 11:00 am, November 15th, 2014 -  50 comments
    Categories: Maori Issues, national, Politics
    Tags: , , ,

    The Waitangi Tribunal has released an important decision stating its opinion that chiefs never intended to cede Maori sovereignty when signing the Te Reo version of the Treaty of Waitangi.

  21. Standard questions: Grant Robertson

    Written By:  notices and features -  Date published: 10:11 am, November 10th, 2014 -  82 comments
    Categories: grant robertson, labour, leadership
    Tags: , ,

    A couple of weeks ago we asked readers to suggest questions for written answers from the candidates. We chose / edited six questions, and sent them to the four campaigns. Here are Grant Robertson’s answers.

  22. Turei for peace & freedom: rejects politics of fear

    Written By:  karol -  Date published: 3:00 pm, November 5th, 2014 -  102 comments
    Categories: accountability, democracy under attack, greens, iraq, Metiria Turei, Spying
    Tags:

    Metiria Turei delivered a very strong speech in response to Key’s ministerial statement on national security.  I give her a standing ovation! Update #1: link to video of Turei’s speech. #2 -YT video Turei’s speech.  Link to Kennedy Garham’s speech

  23. Lowly science

    Written By:  Anthony R0bins -  Date published: 5:42 pm, October 30th, 2014 -  15 comments
    Categories: Deep stuff, education, science
    Tags: , ,

    I’m sure it’s true, but…

  24. There is no child poverty in New Zealand

    Written By:  mickysavage -  Date published: 9:03 am, October 29th, 2014 -  64 comments
    Categories: class war, national, paula bennett, Politics, same old national
    Tags: ,

    A recently published UNICEF report on levels of child poverty amongst developed economies suggests that despite our rockstar economy and our brighter future child poverty levels in New Zealand have stagnated since 2008 while in Australia meaningful changes have been made.

  25. Slater sued

    Written By:  lprent -  Date published: 8:49 pm, October 28th, 2014 -  53 comments
    Categories: law
    Tags: , ,

    Radio NZ has a post up “Tribunal hears blogger privacy case”. A prosecution of Cameron Slater under the Privacy Act for breaching Matthew Blomfields privacy. I suspect that over the next 3-4 days Slater will ponce around acting out courtroom fantasies that have little to do with the law. And will probably get hammered. Good. (Updated)

  26. Let them go to war

    Written By:  lprent -  Date published: 12:06 am, October 19th, 2014 -  35 comments
    Categories: David Farrar, iraq, john key, Media, Syria, war
    Tags: , , ,

    Back when I was a teenager, a mate of mine decided that he was going to give up on school and would get in some combat. So he worked his way into the Rhodesian Light Infantry. A few years later I heard that he’d been killed in action. Other young men going overseas with similar excitement issues have came back a lot less interested in excitement. Sounds safer to me than letting them have a car.

  27. Some thoughts on David Cunliffe’s withdrawal

    Written By:  mickysavage -  Date published: 2:30 pm, October 13th, 2014 -  111 comments
    Categories: Andrew Little, david cunliffe, labour
    Tags:

    Some personal comments on news today that David Cunliffe has withdrawn from the Labour leadership contest.

  28. The terrorism card

    Written By:  Anthony R0bins -  Date published: 7:35 am, October 9th, 2014 -  46 comments
    Categories: defence, International, john key
    Tags: , , ,

    Terrorism is whatever John Key wants it to be.

  29. Aussie police raid – plastic sword discovered!

    Written By:  Mike Smith -  Date published: 12:42 pm, October 8th, 2014 -  22 comments
    Categories: uncategorized
    Tags:

    Last month the Australian covered “the biggest anti-terrorism raid in Australia’s history” extensively, complete with picture of sword “that police claim they were planning to use” according to Channel 10. Yesterday it turned out that the sword was plastic. Oz Police had a lot to say about the raid, but are staying quiet on the sword.

  30. Taxpayers support Mr “Small Government”

    Written By:  Guest post -  Date published: 9:15 am, October 5th, 2014 -  48 comments
    Categories: act
    Tags: , , , ,

    If ACT were made up for a show like “The Thick of It”, or “Veep”, they would be dismissed as too ridiculous and extreme for the audience to swallow…

  31. The politics of poverty

    Written By:  Anthony R0bins -  Date published: 8:34 am, October 2nd, 2014 -  86 comments
    Categories: john key, national, poverty
    Tags: ,

    Every election Key is confronted with the issue of poverty. His response is always pure politics with no effective action, and this election has been no different. We will be here again in 2017.

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