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A couple of days ago I quoted Gordon Campbell on the Nats' attack on welfare: If John Key is the face of moderation, there’s not much room left on the margins for the extremism of Don Brash. “Moderation” evidently means asset sales, tax breaks for…
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I've been thinking about the budget. Its economic vacuousness: borrowing and crossing fingers for strong growth, while keeping tax cuts for the rich. The bare-faced cheek of counting the asset sales in its projections and passing Kiwisaver cuts without getting a mandate. But also, the…
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Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike...
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Net International Investment Position is the amount New Zealanders owe foreigners and foreigners own of New Zealand assets (eg Contact, Telecom, the banks) minus the reverse. Earthquake insurance made the NIIP better this year. National's brighter future sees that gain rapidly disappear. Who owes the…
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Crime is one of those eternal political footballs. Whenever they are in opposition right wing parties accuse the government of being "soft on crime". They prey on people's fear and prejudice, and call for tougher and tougher action. All too often left wing governments allow…
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Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike...
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A warm welcome to molesworthst - a new political blog recommended by Morgan over at his own must read blog, Maui Street.
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Following the news that "Celebrities who make false statements while endorsing finance companies could now face jail or fines up to $1 million", we at The Standard have received the following important document, leaked by an internal National Party source: Press Release from PM John…
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Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike...
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Two great columns today. John Armstrong has an excellent piece in the Herald, about Bill English's agenda. The son of Treasury is still in love with their outdated ideas, although he's happy to let Treasury publicly speak to make National appear more moderate. Armstrong argues…
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Christchurch business owners, unable to even get to their premises in the red-zone, have asked for some help to stop going under. Gerry Brownlee's arrogant response: "If they are such clever, gifted, and forward-looking entrepreneurs it's pretty sad that their first port of call has…
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Visionary climate change scientist James Hansen recently toured New Zealand, giving several public lectures. I'm told that on at least two University campuses the audiences were the largest ever seen for a talk, with Hansen's presentation broadcast to about 1000 people in several different lecture…
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Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike...
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With the news that Treasury are already disavowing their forecasts a whole 2 weeks after the Budget, you might wonder where some better economic advice might be found. One that doesn't predict that any National budget will create 170,000 jobs (and then have to change…
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Weekend social is for non political chat. What's on for the weekend, gigs, film or book reviews, sports, or whatever. No politics, no aggro, why can't we all just get along?
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Just after we discover that National ministers and staffers have been accepting gifts from a bank wanting the government's business and John Key says ministers shouldn't take 'too many' Rugby World Cup freebies, we learn that civil servants are sternly banned from accepting any gifts.…
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When all the unders and overs are calculated, the maths for tertiary education is a lot simpler than all the commentary from the government would have us believe. For the next four years, the minister, Steven Joyce, will be putting less money into tertiary education.…
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Oh dear. Only two weeks after its Budget 2011 economic forecasts were released, Treasury is already warning they are too optimistic. In their defence, they say the forecasts were settled in April and growth prospects have got worse since then. Well, you're not much of…
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After intense criticism for using government-owned helicopters for personal trips, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has reimbursed the state for the cost of the flights. I look forward to John Key following Christie's lead and repaying us for his flights to watch the V8s in…
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How close should corporate interests be allowed to cuddle up to the government? When is a gift not a gift? If it isn't influence what is it? The Greens have raised important questions surrounding Westpac and the Nats: Govt denies Westpac 'buying access' to ministers…
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Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike...
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As you caption this one, please remember, this is a family blog...
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I seem to vaguely remember hearing in the last couple of days that John Key was calling for people to support the RWC (and his reelection campaign). I could be mistaken because I can't find it or alternatively that news item has sunk like the…
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David Clark is the Labour candidate for Dunedin North. The following is reprinted with permission from his blog: ECE Taskforce report I've previously outlined the case for quality early childhood education in the Otago Daily Times. Yesterday, the Government taskforce appointed to review the sector…
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National has announced plans to privatise ACC's work account. Currently, they don't have the numbers to get it through the House. ACT won't vote for it because its not completely rabid and the Maori Party won't vote for privatisation. So, this becomes another election issue:…
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Like the ACC, Pharmac is a Kiwi institution that delivers benefits to everyone at a lower cost than other countries. National has got ACC on the butcher's block. We must make sure that Pharmac doesn't follow. The problem is that the government is trying to…
capitalism john key leadership overseas investment us politics
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John Key was characterised by some of his fellow money-men as "good antennae, no compass", and he does seem to have a good gut instinct for (usually) saying what the average Kiwi wants to hear. But sometimes going with your feelings isn't enough. Sometimes reality…
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Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike...
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Ever notice how all this Tory rhetoric about "personal responsibility" goes right out the window when push comes to shove? Personal responsibility is always for other people. When they stuff up it's all about denial, obfuscation, and blaming someone else. Take Rodney Hide for example.…
accountability auckland supercity national/act government rodney hide