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Video: Election campaign, 22 Oct
Observations of the campaign trails from TV3's Ali Ikram.... Not sure what I think of those "bleeps" on the John Key excerpt...
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Archives · 2008-10-01 to 2008-10-31 · Page 3
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Wait, what’s the RSE?
OK, we've reported on, given historical context to, and mocked Lockwood Smith's racist comments about seasonal migrant workers. Now, to the substance of what Smith as saying, ie that fewer permits issued under the Recognised Seasonal Employer Scheme (RSE) should be allocated to people from…
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Clark winning in the style stakes
And now for something fluffy. That's right, the fashion stakes count in the election as well. According to one stylist National leader John Key needs to update his style. Stephanie Rumble, a top New Zealand stylist says: "he hasn't changed his appearance much since the…
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Nats: instilling the work ethic early
Lockwood Smith has unveiled more National workforce innovations. In addition to favouring Asian seasonal migrants over Polynesians because their hands are smaller, Smith has announced that National's plans to have new schools built and owned by private companies will include "co-location of educational and industrial…
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Sharp as a tack
I've just listened to the reporter's tape of Lockwood Smith's racial gaffe and it is hilarious. Not for his appalling comment but for the marvelous follow-up question the reporter (I presume it's Marlborough Express reporter, Cherie Howie) makes about whether Smith is more guarded in…
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Nats on Pacific workers in the 70s
Galumalemana Alfred Hunkin says Lockwood Smith's statements about Pacific workers are an example of the sorts of comments made in the 70s. Here's a National Party TV ad from the 1975 election about Pacific workers. Underneath they haven't changed.
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Patu online
There's been a bit of fuss about the '81 tour lately and whether it is pertinent to today's politics. For years now I've suggested to those too young to remember the tour to watch Patu because it provides a visceral sense of just how important…
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Drinking Liberally – Palmerston North
When: 24th of Oct, 7:30pm Where: Zoe's Bar - Bottom floor of the Kingsgate hotel, Fitzherbert ave Who: guest speaker Green MP Keith Locke, and a great group of jokers and jokesses Also: join the mailing list dlpalmerstonnorth@gmail.com .
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Scratch a Tory…
...and you still reveal a bigot, it seems. Here is National's Immigration spokesperson, Lockwood Smith, (he who likes to swallow dead fish) on taking more Asian seasonal worker migrants instead of Polynesians: "There are some skills in the vineyard that some people are perhaps better…
education election 2008 im/migration john key national same old national
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Drinking Liberally – Auckland
WHAT: Drinking Liberally Auckland City WHO: You and any of your left-leaning comrades WHEN: 7.30pm, Wed 22nd October WHERE: London Bar, cnr Wellesley & Queen Sts (opposite Civic). The entrance to the bar is around on Wellesley St, you need to go up the stairs.…
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Transport policy clarified
The National Party has today been forced to clarify its policy for more public-private partnerships in transport after an embarrassing leaked photograph found its way onto several online internet 'blogs'. In response to the photo (below), John Key has scheduled a press conference where he…
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Vox pop
Spotted in central Wellington:
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Vote smart: Epsom
I've come in for a bit of flak for this 'Vote Smart' series of posts on how people can make the most of their vote but I don't resile from it. It seems to me the criticism is based on a quaint notion that there…
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Inflation up but already on way down
Inflation hit 5.1% for the year to September driven by the mammoth spike in oil, food, and other commodity which has abated since then, for now. There is nothing that could be done to avoid this impact on New Zealand from international markets. The economy…
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Highly principled statements
Yesterday, Bill 'do whatever it takes to win' English was out trying to assuage Kiwis fears of National's secret agenda (which his recorded remarks helped ignite). He praised Labour's achievements but said it was time for more positive leadership. In other words, 'don't worry, we're…
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Williamson on tolls for roads (again)
I see Maurice Williamson has again confirmed that we will be paying more for driving on some roads under National: Williamson: "If it is quite a short distance road of a few kilometres, somewhere in the city-type link, you'd only be talking of $1 or…
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John vs John
Labour's new television ad is up on Youtube and I'm pleased to see it's actually pretty bloody good. They've managed to draw attention to one of John's many flipflops, this one on Kiwisaver, in a way that uses humour and sticks to the facts and…
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Right questions, wrong answer
Colin James has a column in today's Herald in which he lays out the difference between perception and reality in New Zealand politics. In it he goes through seven points: crime, healthcare, education, the treaty, immigration, poverty and social engineering and points out that in…
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New posters/leaflets
I have to say, these are my favourite so far. There are some talented people out there. There's eight versions of this new one on the Campaign Hub, each with an example of Key flipping-flopping Keep getting them out there guys. The people deserve to…
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It’s your choice
Now that both Labour and National have all their major spending promises out, we can compare the options. Remember, whatever happens one of these two parties will lead the next government, so these are the basic choices we face: Labour: -Keep existing policies including important…
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The Standard line: crime
So, you're talking with someone about politics and they say something really dumb and wrong and you know it's wrong but you don't have the arguments and facts at your fingertips to make a decisive point. That's where our election series, The Standard line, comes…
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Clark’s eye on the ball
While John Key worried today about fine-tuning guarantees for bank deposits, Helen Clark was outlining how a Labour government if re-elected is already planning for the fast and decisive action that will be needed to protect jobs, build skills, and promote the research that will protect…
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Sensible Sentencing Trust in drag?
Act have run an anti-crime protest outside of Mt Eden today and it was particularly theatrical by the sound of it with lots of coffin lids and whatnot. ACT have never done anything like this before. But the Sensible Sentencing Trust certainly has. I've asked…
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Spending ends
At the Labour party's Wellington launch this afternoon Helen Clark has declared there will be no more spending promises from Labour. This was unexpected and will mean that the focus will now be on National and whether they will follow suit. If they decide to…
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Fact checkin’ – Sunday addition
From Agenda Rawdon Christie: Maori make up 7.7% of unemployed compared to 3.9% of the rest of the population. Incompetent: The unemployment rate of Maori is 7.7%, that's different from what Rawdon (reading from teleprompter) said. If Maori only made up 7.7% of unemployed, they…
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The best they’ve got?
When I heard a Chinese national had been approved for citizenship by a minister against the advice of officials and with a letter of recommendation from a Labour MP, after he had apparently donated to the Labour Party, I thought 'seeing as this is coming…
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Aspirational politics laffs
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Party like you matter
There's so much to comment on about the policies and parties that matter that we hardly ever get to time to mention ACT. But I couldn't resist this brochure from the zero tolerance liberals: (it says 'not your typical party' in the yellow box) Thoughts:…
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Childish
We live on a finite planet. We can't just keep adding 75 million people a year to the human population while also increasing the average resource consumption per person without collapsing the biological systems that support us. Current projections have the world population rising another…
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Guest post: The clever dealer?
Many people laud John Key's experience in the business world, and say that the smiling assassin's ability to play hard-ball when required means he will be an excellent prime minister. So why, during talks with the Maori Party, did Key drop a National 'bottom line'…