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The Herald is really doing its best to help out National. Today it proclaims 'Key's wananga visit undoes Brash legacy'. That nice Mr Key has undone all the harm caused by that nasty old Dr Brash, we're meant to believe. But check the record. It…
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That's what the labour movement is all about: ensuring that people who want to work can find jobs and that they receive fair reward for their labour in decent conditions, so they can afford a good standard of living for themselves and their families. A…
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Just what you may have been waiting for: www.righttosmack.co.nz While we want the government to interfere with people's private activities to some small degree; (outlawing homosexuality, stopping abortions, abolishing civil unions, abolishing legalised prostitution, etc.) - we will not tolerate being told we cannot use…
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National's latest line is that interest rates have doubled under Labour, with the implication that National would magically lower inflation (while simultaneously pouring more money into the economy through lower surpluses) so rates would fall. But, as with so much National says, a quick look at…
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Jordan Carter's just posted a photo of what looks like nine EFA protesters having their say outside the Labour Party Congress on the weekend. Looks like there are two journalists and a cameraman in the shot too so if my maths is right that's a…
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A big thanks to Greens' co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimmons for participating in our 'Interview the leaders' series. Her answers provided an insight into how the Greens view themselves as influencing political culture as much as promoting specific policies. Our next leader is Prime Minister Helen Clark of Labour. The general question…
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Now this is looking better: As usual Gary Morgan's analysis is laughable, attributing the thirty percent increase in the Greens' support to... Earth hour. Yes, Earth hour. Stick to the polling Gaz, and leave the punditry to the pundits.
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The Dom reports that "Fraser Colman - best known for being the cabinet minister on board the frigate that sailed to Mururoa Atoll in 1973 to protest against French nuclear tests - has died aged 83." A year after winning the election in 1972, the…
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Trying to follow National policy is like playing that ‘whack-a-mole' game. Up pops John Key or Bill English or a spokesperson, and they make a clear statement of policy but just as you turn your attention to it, that position disappears and they pop up…
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Despite Key's best efforts to inoculate against the "hidden agenda on asset sales" perception - he's now peddling the story that National won't start selling assets until 2011 - the truth seems to have slipped out. A reliable source close to the party has leaked…
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A reader's just sent us the lyrics to the song sung at Labour Party social and again at the conference as reported in The Herald today. We understand they were penned by Grant Robertson, Labour candidate for Wellington Central. To the tune of "The Gambler":…
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We're really pleased to have Jeanette Fitzsimons respond to your questions as part of our Interview the Leaders series. Question to all leaders: Of which of your achievements in politics are you most proud? Well, there are so many! But probably the Energy Efficiency and…
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A reader sent us this very good video of John Key's repeated memory lapses over where he stood on the Springbok tour: The tour was the defining event of a generation, and it's simply not plausible that a politically aware university student would not have…
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National's current attempt to stop the Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union from registering as a third party pretty much proves what we all knew. They have no interest in democracy. Rather than accept the decision of the Electoral Commission and move on they've decided to…
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At the Labour Party congress today, Helen Clark predicted that asset sales would be a key election issue and says the Government was right to veto the Auckland Airport share bid. "The National Party and ACT have made it plain where they stand - 'sell…
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Crime, whether static or out of control, is going to be part of our election year "top ten". I suspect National's $50 fine policy didn't quite get the glowing endorsments they were hoping for (see why here). So when I spotted this story at the…
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There was a reboot on the server last night for some reason about 20 hours ago, and the database process failed to start. The cron job that was meant to restart the process didn't work. It would happen on a day when I was rushing…
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This recent article in the NYTimes illustrates how the way we inform ourselves is changing, and that it's increasing access to some serious topics. 'Bush's War,' was produced for the fifth anniversary of the United States' invasion of Iraq, and is avaiable to watch, online, for free. It…
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Today, outstanding student loan debt reaches $10 billion. That's a fair old swag of money but what has been ignored in the coverage so far is that this debt is interest-free. Now, an economist will tell you that the price of money is the interest…
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Last Tuesday Bill English stood up in Parliament and accused the CTU and the PSA of breaking the Electoral Finance Act. Problem for Bill was he'd got it completely wrong, and as we noted at the time the appropriate course of action was to make…
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National has found itself politically unable to oppose the amendment to the Employment Relations Act that will ensure workers are entitled to meal breaks and to breastfeed at work. But they will be offering only 'cautious' support to a Bill that protects such basic rights,…
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The Reserve Bank produces a series of helpful tables of economic data. One table compares our growth to that of Australia, the US, Japan, and the UK. Here's a graph comparing growth across the countries between National and Labour's periods in government. National has a…
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I'm not usually big on the Bush-bashing, but this is classic: Say what you like about Reagan, at least the dude could read from an autocue. Hat tip: onegoodmove
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Polly Toynbee of The Guardian writes: "Beware the lesson of the Tory wolf in liberal clothing: Sweden's great social democracy has been transformed for the worse - and Britain risks importing the nightmare". At the previous election [the moderates] had crashed at just 15%, so…
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From Key's speech to the NZ Institute of Foreign Affairs on emulating the ‘Celtic Tiger': "Thirty years ago, Ireland was a total basket case. Today, it has all of the trappings of a considerable economic success story, including the capacity to attract and retain smart,…
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New Zealand First's opposition to the China FTA is no surprise but it is interesting to reflect on the grounds for it that Winston Peters has laid out: a) the deal is not good enough. A pretty weak argument when the other option is no…
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Annette King has hit back at National in the House today, producing two items of electoral advertising from them, neither of which is authorised. The first of these is a promotional pamphlet for John Key, the second is their 2005 Broadcasting policy - still available…
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The Sensible Sentencing Trust is a backward, reactionary organisation at the best of times but this is a new low. Responding to comments Children's Commissioner Dr Cindy Kiro made about tagging, Sensible Sentencing's Garth McVicar said 'Her comments are hugely provocative at a time when…
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The Herald could barely contain its self-satisfaction when National's David Farrar complained to the Electoral Commission that the country's largest private sector union, the EPMU, which comprises 50,000 working New Zealanders, should not be allowed to register as a third party under the Electoral Finance…