Written By: - Date published: 9:33 am, October 7th, 2020 - 83 comments
If a party wants to become Government there are a few characteristics that is has to have. Fiscal competence is one, unity is another. National currently has neither.
Written By: - Date published: 9:39 pm, June 30th, 2020 - 47 comments
Todd Muller had a bad day yesterday with adverse confidential National polling leaked to the media and with Grant Robertson and Winston Peters showing in the house that Muller’s denial that he had proposed opening up the border with China was simply not correct.
Written By: - Date published: 1:31 pm, June 28th, 2020 - 19 comments
I’ve just been reading Andrea Vance’s review of Judith Collin’s released biography. One thing that usually infuriates me is whining arseholes. I have always thought Judith Collins has always been one of them. Vindictive, small-minded, and ignorant. She whines even through a review that merely quotes her.
Written By: - Date published: 3:06 pm, May 24th, 2020 - 62 comments
The change of leadership inside of National is essentially meaningless. All it seems to have started is exposing the kind of internecine factional warfare that is lurking below their party surface. I can’t see the inexperienced National team, even with Amy Adams back in it, being able to make the kinds of long-term decisions required in a modern world.
Written By: - Date published: 7:15 pm, April 15th, 2020 - 43 comments
Matthew Hooton has tweeted a series of numbers. They add up to good news for the Government.
UPDATE: Curia Polling reckons it’s even better for Labour!
Written By: - Date published: 7:58 am, April 8th, 2020 - 71 comments
Throughout the world there is an increasing consensus emerging that the free market approach is failing and principled intelligent leadership from governments provide the optimum result.
Written By: - Date published: 2:05 pm, July 26th, 2019 - 36 comments
Matthew Hooton has a piece on National’s chances in the next election this morning entitled as “National stumbling to defeat”. Personally I think he is a PR weasel who is on the border to dirty politics. But he did cover the salient points that will be on the mind of the National party conference.
Written By: - Date published: 7:31 am, June 11th, 2019 - 124 comments
On the day that Brian Tamaki engaged in some rabid right wing dog whistling and talked about a clash of cultures Simon Bridges has refused to rule out working with Destiny Church’s Coalition New Zealand party.
Written By: - Date published: 8:47 am, March 4th, 2019 - 389 comments
The Green Party’s launching of a petition to seek changes to the electoral system has met with some Trumpian style rhetoric from the right.
Written By: - Date published: 7:38 am, February 12th, 2019 - 44 comments
The final chapter of the Saudi Sheepgate saga has now been written with David Parker pulling the pin on the deal and saving the country $1 million.
Written By: - Date published: 8:59 am, December 17th, 2018 - 23 comments
Nearly 200 nations agreed to the accord in Poland over the weekend. And the goal is to seek to limit global temperature rises to below two degrees Celsius.
Written By: - Date published: 9:07 am, October 12th, 2018 - 63 comments
Hurricane Michael is exactly the sort of weather event that climate change scientists predicted would occur because of climate change.
Written By: - Date published: 9:01 am, August 16th, 2018 - 76 comments
Matthew Hooton has claimed that Tova O’Brien is an extreme left-wing, anti-National Party journalist intent in bringing Simon Bridges down. Hyperbole much?
Written By: - Date published: 8:30 am, August 6th, 2018 - 40 comments
The Return of the Pollwatch: Are Labour getting a baby bump? Are National in decline? Are the Greens in existential danger? And do all the previous questions have the same answer?
Written By: - Date published: 8:00 am, July 22nd, 2018 - 46 comments
The polls are great. Top work. But I’m getting worried about the entropy of this government already. Matthew Hooten and Karl Marx agree with me.
Written By: - Date published: 8:38 am, July 20th, 2018 - 41 comments
Occasional Standard reader Matthew Hooton has written a cogent column on industrial relations in which he realises and accepts that wages for ordinary workers are too low.
Written By: - Date published: 2:33 pm, June 23rd, 2018 - 9 comments
Stuart Nash this week withdrew from a fundraiser organised for him by Matthew Hooton.
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?
Written By: - Date published: 8:21 am, May 4th, 2018 - 87 comments
In further horror news about our health system the leaks of sewage into the walls of Middlemore Hospital has been confirmed and its discovery occurred in 2010. And in 2015 the chair of cash strapped Canterbury DHB signed a Ministry of Health drafted letter saying it did not need further funding despite an urgent need for further funds.
Written By: - Date published: 5:22 pm, March 5th, 2018 - 76 comments
Matthew Hooton has been sacked as a contributor to the NBR and Steven Joyce has threatened to sue him and the NBR over claims that Joyce is not popular in caucus and should be sacked.
Written By: - Date published: 8:58 am, October 20th, 2017 - 15 comments
NZ First chose to be inside Cabinet in a full coalition. I’d rather expected that they would choose to be in a confidence and supply agreement as they did with Labour back in 2005. That they decided to take the risk despite their previous experience with National is a stunning level of trust. But they work well with Labour.
Written By: - Date published: 6:20 pm, August 1st, 2017 - 65 comments
Matthew Hooton has been incinerated by a former leader of the Labour Party.
Written By: - Date published: 6:43 am, June 28th, 2017 - 85 comments
Upon what basis do they feel confident in suggesting to the public that Barclay’s – alleged – victim had been so unprofessional and out-of-control as to be accusing Barclay of being a drug dealer?
Written By: - Date published: 10:15 am, March 21st, 2017 - 24 comments
National’s ill advised attacks on Jacinda Ardern have shriveled in the sunlight, leaving only their reliably suggestible lunatic fringe / Mathew Hooton. The more they rant, the classier she looks.
Written By: - Date published: 10:45 am, November 7th, 2016 - 66 comments
According to Fran O’Sullivan the cause of Sheepgate was Key’s decision to abandon leadership of a business mission in 2010. As to the subsequent scandal – Watkin and Hooton voice the anger we should all be feeling.
Written By: - Date published: 9:00 am, August 27th, 2016 - 17 comments
It has been over a year since the Auditor General announced an inquiry into the circumstances around Sheepgate. Why has it taken so long?
Written By: - Date published: 10:22 am, July 4th, 2016 - 27 comments
The Nation has been doing some digging into #Sheepgate and last weekend broadcast its results. There were some findings that if confirmed should result in McCully’s cabinet career being ended. Not to mention a potential Privileges Hearing to decide if he has misled Parliament.
Written By: - Date published: 9:29 am, May 15th, 2016 - 192 comments
Radio New Zealand recently published a piece penned by well known supporter of the right Matthew Hooton. What has happened to the concept of balance?
Written By: - Date published: 2:01 pm, April 24th, 2016 - 35 comments
The Standard has obtained a copy of a Crosby Textor memo concerning risks posed by Murray McCully’s handling of issues surrounding the awarding of the contract for the Niue resort.
Written By: - Date published: 8:57 am, February 2nd, 2016 - 6 comments
The State of the Nation speeches provide an interesting start to the political year. John Key’s speech borrowed Labour Green policy that until now the Government has consistently derided and tried to present it as a “kickstart” while Andrew Little’s tertiary education policy announcement has received almost universal support and National is struggling to work out what attack lines to use.
Written By: - Date published: 8:15 am, November 28th, 2015 - 48 comments
Nothing Matthew Hooton says can be taken at face value, but perhaps there are rumblings within National about 2017.
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