Posts Tagged ‘fran o’sullivan’

About that $100,000 National Party donation

Written By: - Date published: 10:20 am, January 27th, 2019 - 88 comments

Fran O’Sullivan has correctly stated that the investigation of the $100,000 donation made to the National Party that was partitioned to hide it should be of much greater concern to the New Zealand Police than Sarah Dowie’s texts.

The bigotry of lemmings – the China scare

Written By: - Date published: 5:46 pm, November 28th, 2018 - 134 comments

I can’t think of the number of countless times that I have seen scare stories about someone wanting to take over this society and/or the world. Sometimes they are even correct about intent, but usually they are not. Usually the difference between what is insinuated and whatever facts are known makes those making such insinuations just look like attention-seeking nuts.

 

Who gives a hooton about climate change?

Written By: - Date published: 11:47 am, June 10th, 2018 - 125 comments

Matthew Hooton and Fran O’Sullivan have claimed that the Government’s decision to ban off shore petroleum exploration is “Orwellian”, part of an attempt to divert attention from other issues, bad for the environment and bad for jobs. Are they right?

O’Sullivan and Watkins – warnings to the Nats

Written By: - Date published: 7:08 am, July 18th, 2016 - 196 comments

Even National’s fans are worried for them these days. The “third termitis” meme is becoming well established.

Key’s land tax – too weak

Written By: - Date published: 7:11 am, April 28th, 2016 - 76 comments

Reaction to Key’s land tax has been luke warm at best, with strong calls for more effective action. Labour is promising “a ‘tidal wave’ of big housing reforms”…

NRT: “The TPP is too important for democracy”

Written By: - Date published: 5:27 pm, February 1st, 2016 - 40 comments

Fran O’Sullivan seems to be arguing against democracy in her bitter little rant in Saturday’s Herald against Labour’s opposition to the TPP. Labour, of course, is representing its constituents, many of whom have significant doubts about the TPP or its benefits to New Zealand (or to them). That’s what political parties should do in a democratic country.

You won’t believe this Herald hack’s hilarious homophobia!

Written By: - Date published: 7:35 am, November 13th, 2015 - 87 comments

Really Fran?

TPPA hopefully sinking again

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

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

Sheepgate and National’s last defence: Labour does it too

Written By: - Date published: 11:51 am, June 4th, 2015 - 43 comments

John Key yesterday went on the attack and implied that Labour did something about Sheepgate in 2007.  What it was he did not say but the implication was that Labour did it too.  A brief review of dirty politics shows that this is alway’s National’s desperate last line of defence. Update: Labour tried to table in Parliament the Cabinet Paper that John Key talked about yesterday and National refused leave …

Sheepgate: the McCully mess

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

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

Fran O’Sullivan and Dirty Politics

Written By: - Date published: 1:02 pm, October 11th, 2014 - 33 comments

Fran O’Sullivan’s column in the Herald today clearly lays out why the issues surrounding Hanover Finance’s collapse should be investigated by the Police and not by a Government inquiry.

Wakeup call for the media – has Slater done us all a favour?

Written By: - Date published: 8:02 am, August 31st, 2014 - 171 comments

National’s dirty politics, for all its corrosive damage, also marks an opportunity for NZ. An opportunity to take stock, recognise such tactics for what they are, and reject them. An opportunity to clean up both politics and the media’s coverage of it.

Irascible: The Herald and Key duck, scuttle and run as Donghua Liu story loses credibility

Written By: - Date published: 2:19 pm, June 28th, 2014 - 35 comments

John Key - spy vs lie

It looks like the powers that be on the Herald’s editorial board are starting to realise that being a paid shill for the Key owned National Party is not as wise a move as they thought. Particularly as the realisation that the allegations fed from John Key and those around Donghua Liu are proving to be a quicksand that is sucking the already doubtful credibility of the paper as a crusading, principled record of fact away from it.

No Right Turn: Electoral donations, corruption, and transparency

Written By: - Date published: 4:11 pm, June 11th, 2014 - 37 comments

Writing in the Herald, Fran O’Sullivan tells us what we all knew: that political donors have expectations, and want favours in exchange for their cash. She’s too polite (and Establishment) to call it corruption, but that’s what it is. Its time we forced parties to do so as well. Transparent public funding if required. If the choice is spending public money or permitting corruption, the choice is pretty clear.

Will JT be a Labour MP?

Written By: - Date published: 7:39 am, November 10th, 2013 - 457 comments

John Tamihere’s public comments this week raise deep concerns at the possibility that he could again become a Labour MP.  If it was not before it must be abundantly clear that his attitudes and beliefs are too extreme.

It’s all in the “game”

Written By: - Date published: 9:00 am, May 4th, 2013 - 192 comments

Supporters of the sale of the powercos, portray the Labour-Green NZ Power policy in terms of political strategy and game-play.  They focus on the “market”, risk, profits & “fat cat hatred”. They avoid dealing with the guts of the issue: fuel poverty, income inequality & damaged lives.

The Sexing of Politics

Written By: - Date published: 7:00 pm, March 30th, 2013 - 59 comments

Today, Fran O’Sullivan  argues that Key has lost his edge & his ministers are using dubious tactics in dealing with Rio Tinto over Tiwai Point. O’Sulllivan implies that sharp, savvy and successful deal-making & leadership are masculine qualities.

The dark side

Written By: - Date published: 7:30 am, December 16th, 2012 - 75 comments

Fran O’Sullivan & Audrey Young are awestruck by Judith Collins as ruthless Force. FO’S does a fan-girl rave, slipping into fanfic mode.Was the Binnie episode a daring bid to become the next Nat leader? Will English & Joyce respond with callous, socially-destructive manoeuvres?

The enemy isn’t on your side

Written By: - Date published: 7:35 am, November 15th, 2012 - 186 comments

Politics 101 for Labour leaders: when a right-wing columnist tells you to piss off your party and your base to ‘win the centre’ she probably doesn’t have your best interests at heart. The truth of it is, Labour didn’t lose the last two elections by losing the centre and it won’t win by trying to win back votes from National. It’s the Labour non-vote that matters.

A Sunday treat for everyone except Fran O’Sullivan

Written By: - Date published: 10:07 am, October 7th, 2012 - 27 comments

Parasitic blogger takes on Very Important Columnist who does Real Journalism Work to bring to her readers Informed and Insightful Commentary on The Issues That Really Matter.

Right wing bigot pines for days of right wing bigotry

Written By: - Date published: 10:42 am, September 22nd, 2012 - 180 comments

John Roughan has a whinge about Campbell Live’s coverage of the Christchurch school closures in today’s Herald.

Poor John pines for the days when Paul Holmes was broadcasting rightwing bullsh*t nationwide every evening.

Fran O’Sullivan: in praise of central planning

Written By: - Date published: 10:54 am, August 4th, 2012 - 57 comments

Has Fran O’Sullivan been replaced by a communist infiltrator? Today, she gushes over a central government plan to use emergency powers to appropriate land and bypass RMA property rights. She even suggests the Government could use such powers to redesign other CBDs according to its own grand plans. Next, she’ll be calling for a 5-year plan.

Australia’s sweatshop

Written By: - Date published: 10:29 am, July 7th, 2012 - 69 comments

The Nats have given up on catching up with Australia, and are content for us to become their low wage sweatshop instead. Their cheerleaders think it’s a great idea.

I beg to differ.

Seething O’Sullivan misunderstands markets

Written By: - Date published: 11:53 am, February 18th, 2012 - 303 comments

Fran ‘Sell it all’ O’Sullivan is fuming over the Court decision putting aside the approval of Pengxin’s application to buy Crafar Farms. She knows that Pengxin can’t satisfy the actual legal test because its bid has never been about bringing benefit to New Zealand. Its been about securing strategic assets for China. But some of her whining really needs to be pulled up.

Fran O’Sullivan will be distressed over Crafar decision.

Written By: - Date published: 5:36 pm, February 15th, 2012 - 64 comments

Now there is a surprise (not). The Crafar farms sale doesn’t conform to the economic benefits required under the Overseas Investment Act.  Fran O’Sullivan is going to be distressed. The decision by the OIO and government was not in conformance with the the Overseas Investment Act. Fran waffled about everything except what was required by the Act – as our “anonymous” authors pointed out and were abused for doing so by Fran.

Journalists – pah!

The circling vultures

Written By: - Date published: 10:59 am, February 11th, 2012 - 105 comments

People are waking up to National’s plan to remove the democratically-elected Christchurch City Council and replace it with its own hand-picked commissioners, who will then give a green light to Brownlee’s developer mates and the sale of council assets. You can already see the vultures circling – waiting for the chance to seize more public wealth for themselves.

Fran O’Sullivan: a shill with diversions

Written By: - Date published: 2:02 pm, February 5th, 2012 - 216 comments

Fran O’Sullivan took objection to RedLogix criticizing her articles on Crafar farms. It helps our traffic, but really she should relook at the utter crap she has been writing before attacking the questioner. She talks about everything except why the OIO within their legislation limited framework should or should not have approved the sale. The more that I reread her work on this subject, the more I ask: what in the hell is she trying to hide?

Game on

Written By: - Date published: 10:39 am, October 2nd, 2011 - 56 comments

The weeks of the RWC were supposed to be a politics-free zone. Bread and circuses.  It hasn’t turned out that way, as both Armstrong and O’Sullivan point out in weekend opinion pieces.  The credit downgrades have dropped a bomb in the middle of the political landscape. But I think that both are wrong in expecting any action from the Nats.

Wrong government for the times

Written By: - Date published: 7:25 am, September 1st, 2011 - 44 comments

Fran O’Sullivan calls on the government to act on Christchurch.  Good luck with that.  This is not a government of action.  It is the wrong government for these challenging times.

Epic fail

Written By: - Date published: 7:01 am, August 16th, 2011 - 64 comments

Like most of us, Fran O’Sullivan was expecting so much more from the Nats at their conference…

Farrar in an act of pure vanity…

Written By: - Date published: 12:57 pm, May 1st, 2011 - 64 comments

In an act of pure vanity, David Farrar is whining about the a by-election that will probably be held in July – less than three months before the House dissolves for the election. Farrar even points out the relevant law Parliament can only resolve not to have a by-election if the resignation occurs within six […]