The Key magic

Written By: - Date published: 7:17 am, March 27th, 2015 - 98 comments
Categories: brand key, by-election, john key, Steven Joyce - Tags: ,

If National lose in Northland (and despite the polls I still find it hard to believe that a party machine that well resourced and that desperate can be beaten) then the main casualty will be the myth of the “Key magic”. John Armstrong still believes in it:

Key magic will struggle to stop Peters juggernaut

The Prime Minister returns from Japan today and will head north to campaign for Osborne. But it is difficult to envisage how the John Key magic can turn this byelection around with just two days to go.

But it seems that the people of Northland do not:

John Key heckled in Northland

Prime Minister John Key has headed straight to Dargaville today after returning from Japan, only to be heckled by Northland by-election voters.

Radio New Zealand reporter Benedict Collins, in Northland, said Mr Key was heckled during a 20 minute walk along the street meeting locals, and was shown placards saying ‘Vote Winston’.

One woman said, “Don’t bother talking to me. I’ve already voted, I voted for Winston Peters … because we’ve been neglected here for the last 37 years.” …

The well informed Selwyn Manning has an interesting discussion of the fractures and factions appearing within National as the buy election exposes their weaknesses.

McCullum’s power-base is Northland. And Collins loyalists bided their time and blocked him from getting his way during the National Party Northland candidacy selections. The most Machiavellian of them suggest a loss in Northland will diminish Steven Joyce’s power, create instability for the leader John Key, and demonstrate that they cannot control the party outside of Wellington.

In simple terms, National is demonstrating third term disconnect, division among its factions, and pomposity and arrogance – something the newly re-elected Prime Minister John Key warned his party about in his post-election speeches.

The National Party insiders say there are “many questions” circulating among the Nats, including:
(a) John Key’s judgment and credibility after the 2014 win particularly his promotion of former MP Mike Sabin to chair the Law and Order Select Committee.
(b) Joyce’s “diabolical mismanagement of the Northland by-election campaign”.

Regarding Joyce: “There are really brutal comments flowing from some quarters.”

Plenty more in the full piece at Evening Report. If National do lose it’s going to be an interesting time for Nat-watchers.

98 comments on “The Key magic ”

  1. tc 1

    The magic of John key is a media construct comprised of Dirty Politics and an MSM who don’t ask the tough questions and accept any BS he dishes up with a ‘gosh thanks herr leader we are not worthy of you’.

    The magic is all dark magic at best honed in the offshore lands of money trading and assets stripping till he decided to buy his way into a safe seat.

    • Draco T Bastard 1.1

      It’s not so much that the MSM don’t ask the tough questions but that they actively prop up National.

      • tc 1.1.1

        by not asking any tough questions and fawning all over them as if they’re demigods.

        tough questions that demand answers on any number of issues ever since JPK showed up would’ve shown him to be a carpetbagger of the highest calibre.

        tranzrail shares, SFC, I’d love to see wages drop, I will not raise GST, no frontline cuts, I never spoke to Ian Fletcher, I have no knowledge of (insert issue here) etc etc and then there’s Blip’s awesome bibliography of BS.

      • Saarbo 1.1.2

        Absolutely 100%, think: Trevatt, Armstrong, Gower, TV3 News, NZH, Watkins…

  2. weka 2

    “(and despite the polls I still find it hard to believe that a party machine that well resourced and that desperate can be beaten)”

    This is an aside, but the implications there are that might is what determines election outcomes rather than the shift in voting patterns. Isn’t the point of the Northland election that National might have misunderstood what people want? No amount of door knocking or leaflet dropping can overcome that surely?

    • felix 2.1

      I agree. In fact I’ll go further and say that if people in northland know what the nats have been covering up, and have seen the bullying and the bribery, blue shirts on the doorstep may well turn more people against them.

      • Macro 2.1.1

        I’m sure that is the reason. There can be few people left in Northland who don’t know (or do not have have a damn good idea) what this corrupt administration have been trying to hide. Only the true blues could possibly hold their noses and vote Obsourne. It is hard to believe that Key did not know, in fact it is so hard to believe that it is truly unbelievable; and that goes for, you know who’s bestest Osbourne as well.
        Nationalites shat in their own nest – and the stench has driven people with any sense of justice and moral decency away; and serve them right.

  3. fisiani 3

    Really enjoyable spoof post. One lone heckler equals the end of the “Key magic” Yeah Right.
    Stephen Joyce has run an amazing campaign in difficult circumstances. Diabolical is ludicrous. We will find out tomorrow how well he has done.
    You forgot to add the humour tag! Some might think the author is serious.

    • Hateatea 3.1

      Congratulations, fisiani. You actually posted a comment without saying ‘Honest John’. I live in hope that you might actually post something that shows some critical thinking regarding the flaws in NACTS activities current and past but I am not holding my breath.

      • alwyn 3.1.1

        “but I am not holding my breath”.
        Come on, do the country a favour and try it.
        Perhaps you’ll turn blue in the face, see the light and join the National Party?

      • fisiani 3.1.2

        Correct. I waited for you to acknowledge he was Honest John

        • Hateatea 3.1.2.1

          Same answer as I am giving Alwyn – hell will freeze over first. I don’t think he known how to be honest anymore, if he ever did.

          You are orshipping a false idol.

        • KJT 3.1.2.2

          Being satirical again?

          Fizzer

      • Murray Rawshark 3.1.3

        Fizzy has transferred his loyalty to Stephen Joyce.

    • Skinny 3.2

      I think you mean Joyce has run an amazing campaign for Winston Peters. If not then it’s the worst campaign I’ve seen by the snake oil salesman, granted he is up against a very tricky lawyer.

    • Draco T Bastard 3.3

      Diabolical is ludicrous.

      No. Diabolical* is the normal National position. It’s why you’re always on here defending Key’s lies.

      * I’m not sure if you understand the root for diabolical.

    • Tracey 3.4

      They would heckle Osbourne but he doesn’t seem to have any visibility.

    • NZSage 3.5

      I suspect the announcement of the Northland buy election result will coincide very nicely with fisiani’s hibernation date.

      It will be a long hard winter for him… poor guy.

    • Tom 3.6

      fisiani are you for real. You must be one of the wealthy 10% who are very greedy and have no intention of sharing the wealth. Or maybe your just a one eyed WASP’y Nats supporter. What ever it is I feel sorry for you, until you understand that sharing and helping people less fortunate that yourself is the only way to run a country. This all right jack thinking has bought this country to its knees. Wake Up.!!

    • billy fish 3.7

      Yes so true.
      Mr Joyce is double plus good and isn’t it great the chocolate ration has been increased

  4. felix 4

    I noted the other day that rather than the “Key magic” rubbing off on Osborne, we might just see the “Joyce-puppet KDC lookalike loser magic” rubbing off on Key.

    • Tracey 4.1

      It does appear to be a major admission (this by-election strategy) that Osbourne is irrelevant and the National Party is nothing more than John Key. Sure it has been this way for awhile but now they make no attempt to pretend that anyone else matters.

  5. saveNZ 5

    The problem is that Key and Joyce are arrogant control freaks, maintaining control by putting in vegetable National MP’s they can manipulate. Key is probably still trying to get Slater back on his dog leash. The wheels are starting to come off, on Team Key.

  6. gsays 6

    hi all, is that you skinny, giving our dear leader a hard time.
    tsk tsk.

  7. ianmac 7

    After the last Election friends who are Nat supporters were jubilant over their “landslide victory.” I expect that they might realise just how fragile that victory was/is.

  8. vto 8

    “magic” is a good way of describing key….. synonyms of which include….

    : sorcery, witchcraft, wizardry, necromancy, enchantment, spellworking, incantation, the supernatural, occultism, the occult, black magic, the black arts, devilry, divination, malediction, voodoo, hoodoo, sympathetic magic, white magic, witching, witchery; charm, hex, spell, jinx; mojo, orenda; makutu; informalmuti; raresortilege, thaumaturgy, theurgy

    Not good things

    • Colonial Rawshark 8.1

      But very effective

      And the literal rational intellectual left cannot easily counter it. It requires another wizard – Winston – to make the impact.

  9. Is “buy election” a typo or a freudian slip?

  10. esoteric pineapples 10

    The litmus test of how loved John key actually is, will come after he quits politics and we see how people greet him in the street, restaurants, etc. I don’t think he will ever get a genuinely warm welcome in the way that Helen Clark does, for instance. He will have his place in history, but he will not be looked back on with great affection.

    • fisiani 10.1

      Have a look at the polling post nearby showing the blue line hovering near 50% since Honest John became Leader and the red line near 30% no matter who leads Labour. You are delusional. After 6 terms in office John Key (18 years) when he retires he will still get the warmest welcome of any Prime Minister in over 30 years.

      • Pasupial 10.1.1

        Blow it out of your fizzy anus.

        • fisiani 10.1.1.1

          What we’re not prepared to accept are pointless personal attacks, or tone or language that has the effect of excluding others.

          My handle is fisiani.

          • joe90 10.1.1.1.1

            My handle is fisiani.

            echoes….

            https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CBEYA0bUwAALE6h.jpg:large

          • Pasupial 10.1.1.1.2

            fisiani

            There was a very clear point to my statement, though I appreciate that you are mentally unequipped to understand anything that doesn’t conform to your prejudices. So in your own words; “You are delusional”.

            If you are having trouble accepting the robust standard of debate here from those who are heartily sick of your gaslighting bullshit, then you are free to fuck off elsewhere.

            • fisiani 10.1.1.1.2.1

              What we’re not prepared to accept are pointless personal attacks, or tone or language that has the effect of excluding others.

              • Pasupial

                fisiani the repetitive

                How do you even manage to type? When you so obviously have your fingers shoved in your ears while chanting “lalalalala” to block out anything that might disturb your fine opinion of yourself.

                Dishonest John the shonky sociopath may one day speak a lie directly to your face one day – if you’re a lucky wee underbridge dweller. You don’t have an ounce of his facile glibness, all your own lies just feel so painfully rehearsed. I can’t even be bothered thinking of anything original to say to you anymore:

                “Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries.”

      • vto 10.1.2

        just like muldoon

        dishonest john is just another Muldoon and will be regarded the same by history

        • tc 10.1.2.1

          muldoon at least built stuff, key’s just asset stripped and put our soverignty, laws, priavcy, soldiers lives etc up for sale

      • DoublePlusGood 10.1.3

        How the hell would John Key stay out of prison for another 9 years?

    • Stuart Munro 10.2

      The litmus test will be after he has been hanged and burned, and his ashes cast into the sea, how many New Zealanders will weep, that do not weep for joy.

      • thechangeling 10.2.1

        “that will not weep for joy(ce)” lol.

        • Stuart Munro 10.2.1.1

          It’ll be gravy for Joyce – there’s nothing else in that shambling pack of ambulant dog tucker that could even begin to lead a credible opposition.

    • Weepus beard 10.3

      He’ll be known as the most divisive and polarising of PMs New Zealand has ever known.

  11. Enough is Enough 11

    John Key has always been heckled. From the day he was elected the 50%+ of the electorate that despise him have stood up to him and let him know about it.

    Winston will win by a landslide.

    Every true lefty who in Northland must vote Winston this week. It is the only way of ensuring that National cannot ram though further draconian laws in this term.

    VOTE WINSTON.

  12. Adrian 12

    One of the surprising characteristics of a sociopath ( according to a study of financial market traders done by a Swiss University, Basel I think, they were comparing FMTs to sociopaths ) was that 50% of people could spot them and 50% couldn’t, but given another type of sociopath the 50% ratio stayed the same but the mix of spotters was quite different.
    There’s Keys popularity explained possibly.
    BTW, sociopaths needed about 4 of 10 or so traits to be considered as such, financial market traders averaged 7 to 8 traits.

    • saveNZ 12.1

      So true.

    • Colonial Rawshark 12.2

      Both National and Labour have created and entrenched an economic environment which disproportionately rewards sociopathic behaviour. Neither are willing to reverse it, perhaps tinker a bit with it around the edges.

      • Draco T Bastard 12.2.1

        The move to a rentier society and then collapse seems to be the innate track of capitalistic societies. And, no, the ‘rulers’ won’t change the direction even when it becomes obvious that the path that they’ve set us upon is the path to disaster.

      • Skinny 12.2.2

        Yes backed up by the NL ACT candidate telling me the other day that the party see’s Labour as a future coalition partner. Little wonder they think this way when you critique some of the LP MP’s and the last intake of candidates. They are realistic ‘not under Little.’

        • Colonial Rawshark 12.2.2.1

          The Anderson’s Bay Peninsula Branch of the Labour Party (Dunedin South) will be voting on a formal denounciation and renounciation of neoliberalism at its AGM this weekend.

          Someone in Labour has to.

          • Skinny 12.2.2.1.1

            Bloody good stuff cobbah you should flick me a copy we can do the same thru our LEC. Say hi the brother Jim Kelly.
            How honoured I feel, just got an invite to the grey fox election gig and a big thanks for pulling in votes from our network. Its all about building bridges and it starts in Northland, ‘coalition bridges that is’ cheers Stephen Joyce & John Key we couldn’t have done it without your bridge building skills 🙂

      • thechangeling 12.2.3

        Correct. It’s most often referred to as neo-liberalism with a corrupt, cronyist twist.

  13. Pasupial 13

    Gordon Campbell has a good point on the disadvantages of; Shon Key neglecting his Prime Ministerial duties, to scurry back to Northland and shove his hand up muppet Osbourne’s ass:

    Supposedly, New Zealand’s destiny lies in Asia… OK. So, if that’s the case why didn’t Prime Minister John Key – who was already in South Korea – stay in the region so that he could attend the state funeral on Sunday of Singapore’s founding leader Lee Kuan Yew?… Key has put the domestic interests of his party ahead of New Zealand’s wider interests on the world stage.

    Its not as if Asia won’t notice that New Zealand will have no senior government figure present. The Singapore Straits Times has already begun totting up the heads of state set at attend…

    in the circumstances, putting the Northland by election ahead of attendance at his funeral is a slight on Singapore, and will do nothing to advance New Zealand’s claim that it has a serious commitment to Asia. Of all people, Key should have realised that going to Lee Kuan Yew’s state funeral is the price of being in the club.

    http://gordoncampbell.scoop.co.nz/2015/03/27/gordon-campbell-on-a-funeral-in-asia-and-northland/

    • Colonial Rawshark 13.1

      SE Asian governments have had plenty of time to get the measure of Key and his Cabinet. His snubbing of Singapore over a panic about a by-election will merely confirm their long held assessments.

    • Karen 13.2

      Even Audrey Young is criticising key for this on her twitter feed (sorry, can’t link for some unknown reason)

    • shove his hand up muppet Osbourne’s ass

      That would explain the squint.

  14. Adrian 14

    On Sunday Key is in Melbourne, as 12th man, of course. You know they couldn’t have done it without him, just as the ABs and every other NZ team have found him to be indespensible when it comes to the big games.
    When we win I’ll bet he takes to the field.
    He’s such a pathetic try-hard.

    • Skinny 14.1

      He is throwing Osborne under Winston’s bus by taking off on Saturday and not sticking around. He reminds me of the Italian cruise ship captain who abandoned his sinking ship.

      Literally putting some distance between Joyce and himself, Judith Collins smile will be just as wide as Peters if he wins on the night 🙂

  15. Brewer 15

    Bad week for National:

    Brazil has demanded an explanation from New Zealand after reports New Zealand’s foreign intelligence agency the GCSB spied on its campaign to get Brazilian diplomat Roberto Azevedo elected as Secretary General of the World Trade Organisation in 2013

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11424168

    • ianmac 15.1

      Note that McCully dismisses the issue as just journalist talk. He said,
      “”If foreign governments want to raise issues about the assumptions being made by journalists we will respond. We will do this in private rather than through the news media.”
      Clearly this is a totally unimportant issue to this Government. Ha!

    • Murray Rawshark 15.2

      It’s been on the news in Brazil. Seems they’re not happy.

  16. Alan W 16

    Why all the gloating?
    How can this aid formation of a Labour lead government at the next general election?
    Assuming Winston wins, NZ first continues to roll along and maybe increases its share of the party vote.
    Winston holds the balance of power at the next general election.
    We all know that there is mutual loathing between NZ First and the Greens; they will not form a government with each other.
    National cosies up to NZ First, Labour still in opposition.
    Yes?
    No?

    • ianmac 16.1

      Simple Allan. A tall poppy who was tall under false pretences is crumbling. Hooray!

    • marty mars 16.2

      + 1 Alan

      Winston winning, which I hope he does, doesn’t bode well for labour imo. I think some have confused tactics with strategy. All this will do is increase the ability of NZF and diminish labour. Sad to see so many think the gnat lapdogs will grow some spine and oppose their gnat benefactors – come the next election they will do what they’ve done previously and go for the babbles – and notwithstanding some grandstanding it will pretty much be business as usual till then.

      • Skinny 16.2.1

        Cut it out mate let’s take one street battle at a time in this war. We need a win, runs on the board. With respect who is to say Peters won’t be pushing daisies by the time of the next election. Labour just have too rid the deadwood and sort their policy platform the leader is not a worry next time around.

        • marty mars 16.2.1.1

          Sure labour needs a win – guess what it will be winstons win on saturday not labours or the lefts. and lol to your last sentence.

          • Murray Rawshark 16.2.1.1.1

            It’ll be NAct’s loss. That’s the best that was on offer at the moment. I’ll take it.

            • marty mars 16.2.1.1.1.1

              Yep well I’ll shut up about it now – I also want a gnat loss and I’m not labour so whatever they do or think I’ll leave them to it. My warnings have fallen on deaf ears.

              • Macro

                Yeah. I’m afraid Labour have cloth ears for the strugglers in NZ society. 🙁
                Too many vested interests in protecting the stuff-ups they did in the past. What they did in the 80’s and 2000’s may have been with the best of intentions, but it was to the detriment of those at the bottom, and that is never good policy.
                Frankly i don’t see any hope of a change until the “middle class” wake up to the fact they are being well shafted as well. This is going to take some time. Now we have the situation that to make ends meet, both spouses must work full time, and children spend all day in day care. Something that we in the 50’s and 60’s used to point derisively at happening in the USSR!
                Globalisation and “free trade” all sound wonderful, but they have had the effect of importing lower labour standards and pay into our country, and we (Labour in particular!) still haven’t learnt!

                • + 1 Yep spot on Macro. I think the middle class will only wake up when it is all far too late – especially since the 2 major parties love spinning them lines about how it is all going to get better tomorrow. I remember computers coming in and the great ideal of more spare time – just ended up taking the laptop home and working more hours and this ‘unintended consequences’ outcome is rife throughout our society. We still haven’t learnt because the pain of realising that WE are the problem is too hard to accept – much better to listen to liarjohn and pretend.

                  to change will take revolution not evolution methinks

                  • Macro

                    Yes Marty and the other factor is that with both working full time (and longer and longer hours because of increasing work demands) and then having to give quality time to the kids and drive them all over the country for swimming, dancing, etc. Parents have no time to actually sit down and think just what it is that is happening to them. Many have never lived in a pre-neo-liberal economy and have no understanding of what life might be like if they didn’t have all the whiz bang things the TV tells them to buy.

                    • So true and sadly i feel that it is deliberately created for us by others. I really feel despair for people caught up in having, absolutely having, to work their guts out just to stay still, just to tread water and keep it out of their mouths – it is an absolute disgrace and indictment on our society and the manifestation of the gross inequality felt by so many.

                      There is no time to think for many people, just a desperate movement to keep everything going. I’m lucky in some ways in that where I live other values come to the fore for many – but there is no glamour in being poor – it is still bloody hard work 🙂

              • Murray Rawshark

                That’s two of us who aren’t Labour. We have two and a half years to build something before the next general election. In the meantime, Winnie could slow Key down a bit. Labour doesn’t seem to want to.

            • Skinny 16.2.1.1.1.2

              +1 Murray
              The effect of the Nat’s getting dealt too will wake the fuck up plenty of other regions outside of Jaffa city and Christchurch, from the trance of Teflon John. Hopefully Peters wins and then the shit sticks to the slippery prick.

  17. Once was Tim 17

    “In simple terms, National is demonstrating third term disconnect, division among its factions, and pomposity and arrogance……”

    Took ’em a long long time to wake up eh?, but at least they have.
    What now for the rest of New Zill?

    Will we have to wait for the quinsiqinces of the TPPA to kick in, and the muddle class to be hit in the pocket before we get people re-engaged in politics? I suspect so. (Like Split Ends – it won;t happen overnight, but it WILL happen)
    The good thing is though, that when they do (I.e. the sleepy laid beck hobbits, pissed as newts 3 nights a weak [some even lumbering great chocolate-loving, Tui-sucking; “the Bitchelor”-viewing” cashie-job tradies and others – fucking great lumps of fucking lard], they’ll be very very angry.

    (Just as an aside……why that’s occurred is almost completely down to what was once termed a 4th Estate – who I don’t see coming out of our future unscathed)

    WHEN they do, those of us on the left will be able to preach the Natzi mantra (of personal responsibility, etc., etc., etc.). I can imagine a not-too-distant NZ, and world, where those responsible for signing away sovereignty and the ability for self-determination to be held accountable – PERSONALLY. No doubt when it happens, they’ll be squealing like stuffed pigs, blaming their contemporaries and colleagues (imagine QT in Parliament for example with all those ‘nodders’ worshipping Our Saviour JK, etc.). I don’t think it’s going to cut it for them somehow.
    I’d suggest that when the shit hits the fan, all that personal responsibility mantra the plebians have had to suffer will be translated into personal LIABILITY.

    Christ! How we never seem to learn from history
    ……I’ll hit enter/submit now, cognisant of the possibility of being banned (because of a discussion with some1 I usually admire, but who – I my opinion – seeks to normalise RATHER than deal with a serious problem afflicting laid back New Zill [ FATNESS OBEISITY, SUBSERVIENCE to the sugar pushers]).

    Useless lumps of lard ARE uselss lumps of lard – Worse if they’re also FAT fucking useless lumps of lard and there’s an Osbourne who epitomises a FAT (due to laziness, greed and avarice), USELESS lump of lard – who also happens to be not the sharpest knife in the drawer. Hopefully there won’t be two separate threads on this site dealing with FAT USELSS LUMPS OF LARD apologists

  18. mac1 18

    There might be another useful corollary of Northland voters dumping a poor candidate who should have won by a country mile.

    That is, in a General Election, voters might learn in a practical way that MMP allows voters in an electorate to reject a poor candidate and still assist the party of their choice with their party vote.

    That lesson would resonate long and loud in Party rooms.

  19. dv 19

    Is it my imagination have the Nats had a large number of poor candidates?

    All the one that have been dumped.
    Has anyone got a list?

  20. Penny Bright 20

    Today – followed John Key like a bad smell in KeriKeri!

    He had his ‘squeaky’ voice .

    A sure sign that at the end of the day he is feeling neither ‘comfortable’ nor
    ‘relaxed’?

    Penny Bright

  21. Upnorth 21

    I say Winny will win but the real bad story here is Labour ditched Northland – showed no fight or ticker – this is not lost me and many other people.

    Well done NZ first – very sad day for Labour

    • Anne 21.1

      Good grief Upnorth where have you been these past few weeks? Labour has done nothing of the sort. We’ve got Kelvin Davis in Te Tai Tokerau and by 2017 we’ll have Willow Jean Prime in parliament too as a Northland list MP. The reality was: Labour didn’t have a show in hell of winning but NZ First did! At this point in time the aim is to reduce the NAct majority so it will be harder for them to emasculate the economy and introduce draconian measures aimed at further eroding social outcomes for the poor and the dispossessed – not to mention the steady erosion of our privacy.

      • Skinny 21.2.1

        Cheap shot Marty don’t tell me your still sore over Hone getting cleaned out in TTT. The chicken shit puts up a novice in the by election. The L/D cleaned his clock with ease the other night when he started his what if diatribe on the 2014 election. Ask Bright she was there. Last I saw of him he was standing outside licking his wounds while I was talking to Prime & Robin Grief.

        • marty mars 21.2.1.1

          all I did was + 1 you dick – if that’s a cheap shot you need to get out more.

          I have said many times that yes Hone lost and that is that – but sure it still hurts because I think he was great in the house and I miss him in there.

          and sorry I wasn’t there the other night – unlike you I’m not at all of the significant events of the last and this century bathering to the significant people about what a winner I am – you know those that have to skite about themselves just show how weak and useless they feel and are – sort your shit out mate – do a course or some self development to offset this major external recognition deficit you have – fuck you might even make something of yourself if you do and that’ll be nice won’t it.

        • marty mars 21.2.1.2

          Sorry skinny after pigmans comment I didn’t realise I was agreeing with a trole – shame on me – so please accept my apologies for calling you a dick and saying you need to get out more – I’m sure you get out more than enough.

          As for Rueben Taipari Porter – he is a man of Mana. Have a read you may be surprised

          http://mananews.co.nz/wp/?p=4167

          • Skinny 21.2.1.2.1

            ll good Marty I posted my last comment then read your peace offering, by that stage I couldn’t edit.

            Rueben speaks well, I actually rate him fairly highly. My objective was to pull all the candidates up when they start plucking shit out of their own arse and stray away from their partys policies. Rueben was on a roll and made few mistakes, apart from blaming every other party then his own for their defeat. While Prime may have been non fussed, or diplomatic about cracking Labour for placing Davis out the backdoor ‘again’ on the list so he had to win his seat or he was on the dole, I wasn’t and called it. Yeah and the dot com connection came up as a result, Reuben attempt to defend him and got the why support a neo liberal treatment and I knocked him over with ease. I assume he learnt a lesson, the one trick pony style doesn’t work if some in the crowd have heard it all before. Very content keeping the left party’s left thanks. BTW taking up an offer from ACT has already been politely rejected.

        • marty mars 21.2.2.1

          no I don’t but thanks for pointing it all out – I certainly hadn’t gone back and read his previous comments – my bad, sorry about that.

          • the pigman 21.2.2.1.1

            Don’t apologise! I don’t keep tabs on these chumps either, but when their comments are as fishy as that, I sometimes run due diligence 🙂

    • the pigman 21.3

      Cry me a river, may it wash away the concern troles.

  22. Pasupial 22

    I haven’t seen any guidance from TS moderators on this, but I imagine that we won’t be able to comment on the byelection from midnight to 7pm tomorrow when the voting booths close. All I could see on the Electoral Commission site was:

    Friday 27 March
    All political advertising ceases and election signs taken down by midnight

    Saturday 28 March
    Election day for Northland By-election
    Voting places open from 9.00am to 7.00pm

    http://www.elections.org.nz/events/2015-northland-election-0/northland-election-timetable

    So while I’ve got time, I want to take one more opportunity to urge any in Northland to vote for Peters. A Nat/NZF government can’t be worse than our present NACT one, and even just having to bribe Dunne will at least slow down their schemes a bit. Also, if you are in Northland and have the time – scrutineer a booth, or a count (get in touch with a campaign headquarters now); it’s tedious but very important work.

Recent Comments

Recent Posts

  • Jones has made plain he isn’t fond of frogs (not the dim-witted ones, at least) – and now we lea...
    This article was prepared for publication yesterday.  More ministerial announcements have been posted on the government’s official website since it was written.  We will report on these later today ….    Buzz from the Beehive  There we were, thinking the environment is in trouble, when along came Jones. Shane Jones. ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    41 mins ago
  • Infrastructure & home building slumping on Govt funding freeze
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    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 hours ago
  • Brainwashed People Think Everyone Else is Brainwashed
    Hi,I am just going to state something very obvious: American police are fucking crazy.That was a photo gracing the New York Times this morning, showing New York City police “entering Columbia University last night after receiving a request from the school.”Apparently in America, protesting the deaths of tens of thousands ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    5 hours ago
  • Peters’ real foreign policy threat is Helen Clark
    Winston Peters’ much anticipated foreign policy speech last night was a work of two halves. Much of it was a standard “boilerplate” Foreign Ministry overview of the state of the world. There was some hardening up of rhetoric with talk of “benign” becoming “malign” and old truths giving way to ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    6 hours ago
  • NZ’s trans lobby is fighting a rearguard action
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    Point of OrderBy gadams1000
    14 hours ago
  • Your mandate is imaginary
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    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    19 hours ago
  • 14,000 unemployed under National
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    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    21 hours ago
  • Bryce Edwards: Discontent and gloom dominate NZ’s political mood
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    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    21 hours ago
  • Taking Tea with 42 & 38.
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    22 hours ago
  • Beware political propaganda: statistics are pointing to Grant Robertson never protecting “Lives an...
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    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    23 hours ago
  • Winding back the hands of history’s clock
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    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    23 hours ago
  • Paula Bennett’s political appointment will challenge public confidence
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    Point of OrderBy xtrdnry
    23 hours ago
  • Business confidence sliding into winter of discontent
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    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Gordon Campbell on the coalition’s awful, not good, very bad poll results
    Over the past 36 hours, Christopher Luxon has been dong his best to portray the centre-right’s plummeting poll numbers as a mark of virtue. Allegedly, the negative verdicts are the result of hard economic times, and of a government bravely set out on a perilous rescue mission from which not ...
    1 day ago
  • New HOP readers for future payment options
    Auckland Transport have started rolling out new HOP card readers around the network and over the next three months, all of them on buses, at train stations and ferry wharves will be replaced. The change itself is not that remarkable, with the new readers looking similar to what is already ...
    1 day ago
  • 2024 Reading Summary: April (+ Writing Update)
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    2 days ago
  • At a glance – Clearing up misconceptions regarding 'hide the decline'
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    2 days ago
  • Road photos
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    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • Bryce Edwards: Paula Bennett’s political appointment will challenge public confidence
    The list of former National Party Ministers being given plum and important roles got longer this week with the appointment of former Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett as the chair of Pharmac. The Christopher Luxon-led Government has now made key appointments to Bill English, Simon Bridges, Steven Joyce, Roger Sowry, ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    2 days ago
  • NZDF is still hostile to oversight
    Newsroom has a story today about National's (fortunately failed) effort to disestablish the newly-created Inspector-General of Defence. The creation of this agency was the key recommendation of the Inquiry into Operation Burnham, and a vital means of restoring credibility and social licence to an agency which had been caught lying ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    2 days ago
  • Winding Back The Hands Of History’s Clock.
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    2 days ago
  • Sweet Moderation? What Christopher Luxon Could Learn From The Germans.
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    2 days ago
  • A clear warning
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    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    2 days ago
  • Poll results and Waitangi Tribunal report go unmentioned on the Beehive website – where racing tru...
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    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    2 days ago
  • Listening To The Traffic.
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    2 days ago
  • Comity Be Damned! The State’s Legislative Arm Is Flexing Its Constitutional Muscles.
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    2 days ago
  • Ending The Quest.
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    2 days ago
  • Will political polarisation intensify to the point where ‘normal’ government becomes impossible,...
    Chris Trotter writes –  New Zealand politics is remarkably easy-going: dangerously so, one might even say. With the notable exception of John Key’s flat ruling-out of the NZ First Party in 2008, all parties capable of clearing MMP’s five-percent threshold, or winning one or more electorate seats, tend ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • Bernard’s pick 'n' mix for Tuesday, April 30
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    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Why Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating in the country
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    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • Worst poll result for a new Government in MMP history
    Luxon will no doubt put a brave face on it, but there is no escaping the pressure this latest poll will put on him and the government. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Pinning down climate change's role in extreme weather
    This is a re-post from The Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler In the wake of any unusual weather event, someone inevitably asks, “Did climate change cause this?” In the most literal sense, that answer is almost always no. Climate change is never the sole cause of hurricanes, heat waves, droughts, or ...
    2 days ago
  • Serving at Seymour's pleasure.
    Something odd happened yesterday, and I’d love to know if there’s more to it. If there was something which preempted what happened, or if it was simply a throwaway line in response to a journalist.Yesterday David Seymour was asked at a press conference what the process would be if the ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago
  • Webworm LA Pop-Up
    Hi,From time to time, I want to bring Webworm into the real world. We did it last year with the Jurassic Park event in New Zealand — which was a lot of fun!And so on Saturday May 11th, in Los Angeles, I am hosting a lil’ Webworm pop-up! I’ve been ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    2 days ago
  • “Feel good” school is out
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    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    2 days ago
  • 6 Months in, surely our Report Card is “Ignored all warnings: recommend dismissal ASAP”?
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    exhALANtBy exhalantblog
    3 days ago
  • Bread, and how it gets buttered
    Hey Uncle Dave, When the Poms joined the EEC, I wasn't one of those defeatists who said, Well, that’s it for the dairy job. And I was right, eh? The Chinese can’t get enough of our milk powder and eventually, the Poms came to their senses and backed up the ute ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • Bryce Edwards: Why Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating in the country
    Polling shows that Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating of any mayor in the country. Siting at -12 per cent, the proportion of constituents who disapprove of her performance outweighs those who give her the thumbs up. This negative rating is higher than for any other mayor ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    3 days ago
  • Justice for Gaza?
    The New York Times reports that the International Criminal Court is about to issue arrest warrants for Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, over their genocide in Gaza: Israeli officials increasingly believe that the International Criminal Court is preparing to issue arrest warrants for senior government officials on ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago
  • If there has been any fiddling with Pharmac’s funding, we can count on Paula to figure out the fis...
    Buzz from the Beehive Pharmac has been given a financial transfusion and a new chair to oversee its spending in the pharmaceutical business. Associate Health Minister David Seymour described the funding for Pharmac as “its largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, fixing a $1.774 billion fiscal cliff”. ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago
  • FastTrackWatch – The case for the Government’s Fast Track Bill
    Bryce Edwards writes – Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government is trying to achieve and its ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • Bernard’s pick 'n' mix for Monday, April 29
    TL;DR: Here’s my top 10 ‘pick ‘n’ mix of links to news, analysis and opinion articles as of 10:10am on Monday, April 29:Scoop: The children's ward at Rotorua Hospital will be missing a third of its beds as winter hits because Te Whatu Ora halted an upgrade partway through to ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on Iran killing its rappers, and searching for the invisible Dr. Reti
    span class=”dropcap”>As hideous as David Seymour can be, it is worth keeping in mind occasionally that there are even worse political figures (and regimes) out there. Iran for instance, is about to execute the country’s leading hip hop musician Toomaj Salehi, for writing and performing raps that “corrupt” the nation’s ...
    3 days ago
  • Auckland Rail Electrification 10 years old
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    3 days ago
  • Coalition's dirge of austerity and uncertainty is driving the economy into a deeper recession
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    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Disability Funding or Tax Cuts.
    You make people evil to punish the paststuck inside a sequel with a rotating castThe following photos haven’t been generated with AI, or modified in any way. They are flesh and blood, human beings. On the left is Galatea Young, a young mum, and her daughter Fiadh who has Angelman ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago
  • Of the Goodness of Tolkien’s Eru
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    4 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #17
    A listing of 31 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 21, 2024 thru Sat, April 27, 2024. Story of the week Anthropogenic climate change may be the ultimate shaggy dog story— but with a twist, because here ...
    4 days ago
  • Pastor Who Abused People, Blames People
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    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    4 days ago
  • Vic Uni shows how under threat free speech is
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    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Winston remembers Gettysburg.
    Do you remember when Melania Trump got caught out using a speech that sounded awfully like one Michelle Obama had given? Uncannily so.Well it turns out that Abraham Lincoln is to Winston Peters as Michelle was to Melania. With the ANZAC speech Uncle Winston gave at Gallipoli having much in ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • 25
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    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago
  • Fact Brief – Is Antarctica gaining land ice?
    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 in collaboration with members from our Skeptical Science team. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Is Antarctica gaining land ice? ...
    5 days ago
  • Policing protests.
    Images of US students (and others) protesting and setting up tent cities on US university campuses have been broadcast world wide and clearly demonstrate the growing rifts in US society caused by US policy toward Israel and Israel’s prosecution of … Continue reading ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    5 days ago
  • Open letter to Hon Paul Goldsmith
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    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Bryce Edwards: FastTrackWatch – The Case for the Government’s Fast Track Bill
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    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    5 days ago
  • Luxon gets out his butcher’s knife – briefly
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    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • More tax for less
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    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Real News vs Fake News.
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    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • Another way to roll
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    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago
  • Simon Clark: The climate lies you'll hear this year
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    5 days ago
  • Cutting the Public Service
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    PunditBy Brian Easton
    6 days ago
  • Luxon’s demoted ministers might take comfort from the British politician who bounced back after th...
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    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago
  • This is how I roll over
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    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago
  • The Waitangi Tribunal is not “a roving Commission”…
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    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • Is Oranga Tamariki guilty of neglect?
    Lindsay Mitchell writes – One of reasons Oranga Tamariki exists is to prevent child neglect. But could the organisation itself be guilty of the same? Oranga Tamariki’s statistics show a decrease in the number and age of children in care. “There are less children ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago
  • Three Strikes saw lower reoffending
    David Farrar writes: Graeme Edgeler wrote in 2017: In the first five years after three strikes came into effect 5248 offenders received a ‘first strike’ (that is, a “stage-1 conviction” under the three strikes sentencing regime), and 68 offenders received a ‘second strike’. In the five years prior to ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • Luxon’s ruthless show of strength is perfect for our angry era
    Bryce Edwards writes – Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has surprised everyone with his ruthlessness in sacking two of his ministers from their crucial portfolios. Removing ministers for poor performance after only five months in the job just doesn’t normally happen in politics. That’s refreshing and will be extremely ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • 'Lacks attention to detail and is creating double-standards.'
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    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago
  • One Night Only!
    Hi,Today I mainly want to share some of your thoughts about the recent piece I wrote about success and failure, and the forces that seemingly guide our lives. But first, a quick bit of housekeeping: I am doing a Webworm popup in Los Angeles on Saturday May 11 at 2pm. ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    6 days ago
  • What did Melissa Lee do?
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    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    6 days ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #17 2024
    Open access notables Ice acceleration and rotation in the Greenland Ice Sheet interior in recent decades, Løkkegaard et al., Communications Earth & Environment: In the past two decades, mass loss from the Greenland ice sheet has accelerated, partly due to the speedup of glaciers. However, uncertainty in speed derived from satellite products ...
    7 days ago
  • Maori Party (with “disgust”) draws attention to Chhour’s race after the High Court rules on Wa...
    Buzz from the Beehive A statement from Children’s Minister Karen Chhour – yet to be posted on the Government’s official website – arrived in Point of Order’s email in-tray last night. It welcomes the High Court ruling on whether the Waitangi Tribunal can demand she appear before it. It does ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    7 days ago
  • Who’s Going Up The Media Mountain?
    Mr Bombastic: Ironically, the media the academic experts wanted is, in many ways, the media they got. In place of the tyrannical editors of yesteryear, advancing without fear or favour the interests of the ruling class; the New Zealand news media of today boasts a troop of enlightened journalists dedicated to ...
    7 days ago
  • “That's how I roll”
    It's hard times try to make a livingYou wake up every morning in the unforgivingOut there somewhere in the cityThere's people living lives without mercy or pityI feel good, yeah I'm feeling fineI feel better then I have for the longest timeI think these pills have been good for meI ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago

  • Stronger oversight for our most vulnerable children
    The rights of our children and young people will be enhanced by changes the coalition Government will make to strengthen oversight of the Oranga Tamariki system, including restoring a single Children’s Commissioner. “The Government is committed to delivering better public services that care for our most at-risk young people and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    50 mins ago
  • Streamlining Building Consent Changes
    The Government is making it easier for minor changes to be made to a building consent so building a home is easier and more affordable, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says.      “The coalition Government is focused on making it easier and cheaper to build homes so we can ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 hours ago
  • Minister acknowledges passing of Sir Robert Martin (KNZM)
    New Zealand lost a true legend when internationally renowned disability advocate Sir Robert Martin (KNZM) passed away at his home in Whanganui last night, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. “Our Government’s thoughts are with his wife Lynda, family and community, those he has worked with, the disability community in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    17 hours ago
  • Speech to New Zealand Institute of International Affairs, Parliament – Annual Lecture: Challenges ...
    Good evening –   Before discussing the challenges and opportunities facing New Zealand’s foreign policy, we’d like to first acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. You have contributed to debates about New Zealand foreign policy over a long period of time, and we thank you for hosting us.  ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    17 hours ago
  • Accelerating airport security lines
    From today, passengers travelling internationally from Auckland Airport will be able to keep laptops and liquids in their carry-on bags for security screening thanks to new technology, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Creating a more efficient and seamless travel experience is important for holidaymakers and businesses, enabling faster movement through ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    20 hours ago
  • Community hui to talk about kina barrens
    People with an interest in the health of Northland’s marine ecosystems are invited to a public meeting to discuss how to deal with kina barrens, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones will lead the discussion, which will take place on Friday, 10 May, at Awanui Hotel in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
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