Law enforcement on Planet Key must be a strange business: "Mr Key says he called in the police on the teapot tapes because he wanted to find out if there had been an offence. He argues Dotcom is different, because his Government has already admitted…
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Kim Dotcom was arrested on charges related to copyright infringement, not national security or "terrorism". There is a worrying trend that the surveillance network involved the "Five Eyes" (NZ, Aussie, US, Canada and the UK), has shifted from it's original mission and is being used…
It's been interesting to watch the Collins Faction of National talk down the Conservative Party all year. It's not hard to see why - they occupy space/take votes that a Collins-led National would want for itself. What the Collins Faction would like is a decent…
Are you informed about the TPP. If not - why not? No excuses now - "TPP Watch" has a shiny new web site, It's Our Future (see also Twitter and Facebook). We're excited to announce the launch of a brand-new website www.itsourfuture.org.nz. It will act as a hub for…
I've just heard a clip on the radio from yesterday's post-Cabinet press conference where Key says that we would all be very scared if he had control over the GCSB. That might be an insight into his vision of dictatorship on Planet Key, but it's…
Last week, Key tried to tell us that the illegal spying on Kim Dotcom - which he, the minister, we're supposed to believe wasn't told about for 8 months - was down to one agent's 'brain fade'. Uh huh. So, why has he now appointed…
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I'll be in Manchester tomorrow to hear Ed Miliband speak at the UK Labour Party conference. Two years out from their next election, UK Labour are currently well ahead in the polls, and as one commentator points out right now Miliband is the most secure…
Much to write about, but alas no time to write. Here's just one quick observation. I bet we've heard the last of "Planet Labour". It was always a lame, try-hard attempt to ridicule issues instead of confronting and debating them. Typical of the Key Nats,…
The latest Roy Morgan poll has National at its lowest level of support since before the 2008 election. The confidence in government number is at its lowest level under National - down to levels that Labour experienced in its final months. In the last two…
We're told 36,000 workers are needed for the Christchurch rebuild. But since the earthquakes began 2 years ago, 9,000 people with the skills needed for the rebuild have left New Zealand - including 2,500 bricklayers and 1,000 electricians. The net loss of people with the…
'Business Business Business' is the endless chant from the Nat's business will be our savour, all business is good of-course. Bad businesses, well they will go out of business, generally because they cant compete or are poorly managed, but mostly not before they have stolen…
David Cunliffe has given another excellent economic development speech. I think what's interesting is that he's not really proposing new policy - what he's saying is largely in line with the platform Labour ran in on 2011, but he's articulating the vision behind those policies…
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