Posts Tagged ‘National’s civil war’

Should We Fear Judith Collins?

Written By: - Date published: 10:34 am, February 12th, 2019 - 130 comments

So, it turns out Simon’s a dud. What do the Tories do about it? And can Judith Collins really make a difference?

Collins & Key go head to head over Henry Inquiry

Written By: - Date published: 11:30 am, August 22nd, 2013 - 22 comments

Judith Collins is making a play for support among her fellow National ministers and trying to turn them against Key following Key’s contemptuous attitude to their privacy in the Henry Inquiry. At the Privileges Committee hearing into the Henry Inquiry yesterday, Collins and sidekick Anne Tolley asked why Henry thought he could look at their emails without their permission. Why indeed.

Lusk papers 2 – selling out to America

Written By: - Date published: 9:21 am, June 2nd, 2013 - 248 comments

Here’s the second of the Lusk papers that we were leaked, as was to be covered in today’s Sunday Star Times.

This paper confirms that a faction within National sees New Zealand as a vassal of America, and wants to see American influence (and American money) gain control over our politics.

The Lusk paper

Written By: - Date published: 9:50 am, June 1st, 2013 - 130 comments

This is the first of the Lusk papers, as leaked to us a couple of days ago, and as currently being discussed on The Nation.

Sam Lotu-Iiga for mayor?

Written By: - Date published: 9:39 am, September 18th, 2012 - 7 comments

Slater/Lusk are spending a hell of a lot of time talking about how the Key Government’s one-seat majority is at stake if a dissatisfied, bored backbencher decides to quit. One name that keeps popping up is Sam Lotu-Iiga. I understand the next stage will be a ‘Draft Sam’ faux mayoral campaign to pressure Key and Joyce into making him a minister.

Nat Civil War: ceasefire breached

Written By: - Date published: 6:35 am, May 9th, 2012 - 90 comments

Well, that didn’t take long. A couple of weeks of quiet (probably thanks to some good polls more than anything) and, now, the National Party Civil War has re-erupted as the Collins and Joyce factions fight over the post-Key future. The leaking of National Party board minutes shows how serious the fighting is and reveals strong opposition to Slater/Lusk’s tactics.

Choices, choices: Golf, PM holidays, or paid parental leave?

Written By: - Date published: 6:40 am, April 16th, 2012 - 40 comments

Key is on another holiday trade mission to Indonesia, starting with a round of golf followed by a BBQ. While researching this, I learned something: You know how Key and Boag were both at the same golf tournament when the Nat Civil War blew open? Turns out you and I paid the $500K prize for that tournament. On an unrelated note, we definitely can’t afford to extend paid parental leave.

A(nother) bad day for the dynamic duo

Written By: - Date published: 9:05 am, April 13th, 2012 - 40 comments

It was a bad day yesterday for the ‘heavy hitters’ of the Collins faction, Slater and Lusk. First, Ports of Auckland admitted supplying them with a workers’ private details. Then, the smear on the Meatworkers that they had orchestrated with Talley’s was shot down by the SFO in record time. Finally, Michelle Boag gave them a public serve on RNZ, fueling civil war talk.

Nat Civil War: Nothing to see here

Written By: - Date published: 12:00 pm, April 12th, 2012 - 21 comments

Every time Simon Lusk’s name gets mentioned, Whaleoil (which is only Cameron Slater and has nothing to do with Lusk </sarcasm>) responds with a vitriolic and revealing tirade. In the latest, Whaleoil insists there are no National factions, before insulting and demeaning each of the factions except Collins’, and accidentally confirming the leadership tussle is on.

Grubby politics

Written By: - Date published: 9:32 am, April 10th, 2012 - 8 comments

Cronyism. The politicisation of the public service. Internal power struggles. It’s all just grubby Nat politics as usual. Why do we put up with it?

Nat Civil War: The perils of monolithism

Written By: - Date published: 7:15 am, April 10th, 2012 - 63 comments

Despite losing nearly 1 in 4 of its supporters, 300,000 voters, in a little over 6 months according to the Roy Morgans, National’s 44% still looks superficially impressive. Until you realise they need to be able to form a  majority more or less alone. The Right’s monolithism doesn’t just place extraordinary demands on National’s leader, it’s the root of the current civil war.

Both sides of Joyce’s dirty deal bad for NZ

Written By: - Date published: 4:50 pm, April 8th, 2012 - 89 comments

We know that giving SkyCity more pokie machines will mean more problem gamblers, more crime. The Right says it’s worth it for the convention centre. But the official numbers show that’s a dog and we would pay for it in the long-run. It’s not one side of this equation that is bad for New Zealand, it’s both.

Nat Civil War: Collins faction turns on Key

Written By: - Date published: 1:04 pm, April 7th, 2012 - 119 comments

There’s series of posts from Simon Lusk on Whaleoil showing the Collins faction taking a distinctly anti-Key line for the first time. Key’s signaled he won’t go easily and he screwed Collins on the defamation suits.. And the polls show he won’t win a third term.

Nat Civil War: Crushed’s last day

Written By: - Date published: 9:44 am, April 4th, 2012 - 116 comments

Key says Defamation Act requires a plaintiff to sue within five working days. That makes today Crushed Collins’ last day to sue. What will she do? Drop it and look like a blustering fool unfit to be Justice Minister let alone PM or pursue it, open up all her secrets during discovery, lose, and pay costs? Oh yes, Key suckerpunched her good.

Nat Civil War: Suckerpunch

Written By: - Date published: 10:36 am, April 3rd, 2012 - 51 comments

John Key just taught Judith Collins not to mess with the Boag faction. The Cabinet Manual required her to consult with him before announcing the defamation suits. He expressed support. Said Cabinet would decide on the funding. Then, at the last minute, word came Cabinet wouldn’t back her. Humiliatingly, she was forced to withdraw her bid but she can’t drop the suits.

Nat Civil War: Key backs Boag over Collins

Written By: - Date published: 11:35 am, April 2nd, 2012 - 54 comments

John Key gave one of his least sure and most defensive interviews in five years on Q+A on the weekend. His goal was clearly to protect his personal brand and close the issue down. He failed. He failed because he refused to criticise Pullar and Boag, and refused to back Collins’ law suits. That puts him at odds with the Collins faction and onside with Boag’s.