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On November 30th, after the election, National received a $55,000 donation from Oravida. It's a Chinese-owned company whose former owner, Terry Lee, is director of Pengxin's Crafar Farms vehicle, Milk New Zealand, and co-owns a company, Natural Pure, with Pengxin owner Jiang Zhaobai that is…
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If you or I or, say, an Mfat official were storing confidential work files or, worse, officially classified information in our personal email and those files were hacked, you or I or the Mfat official would get the sack for gross misconduct. So when's McCully…
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If the evidence against the Urewera 4 is so strong and what they were planning to do so serious, how come they've only been charged with a handful of minor offences? And how come the others had the charges dropped? Where are the treason and…
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In yet another internet related act of stupidity Trevor Mallard has been busted scalping tickets to a bunch of kids. From Stuff: He came out and gave us the package really quickly and he kept saying: 'It's not what it looks like; it's not what…
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The Crafar Farms decision is sensible and a correct interpretation of the law. Foreign buyers must add something that a local buyer can't, other than a higher purchase price. Otherwise, our farmers will continue to be out-bid for our land by foreign government-backed companies that…
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Denise Roche's maiden speech deserves a special mention (hat-tip Felix): http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=TyKPW1hCwwU
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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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Haven't had time to watch many maiden speeches but of the few I saw Andrew Little's was a stand out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=sksdWg0YNJc I'm sure we'll be putting a few more up over the next few days.
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"Not to the best of my knowledge - that is absolutely correct - I wasn't even aware these emails existed until I heard about them yesterday" a flustered Key said in Parliament today in response to another question from Grant Robertson about the Radio Live…
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Now there is a surprise (not). The Crafar farms sale doesn't conform to the economic benefits required under the OIO's act. I guess that Fran O'Sullivan is going to be distressed. "Anonymous" authors here actually knew what they were talking about, and the decision by…
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Gerry Brownlee has weakly attempted to fob off the decline in benefit:cost ratio of highway projects under National. 'Sure' he says 'we've been funding projects that barely break even while high BCR spending like early childhood education gets cut, but things will turn around'. Um,…
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Lockwood 'small hands' Smith is digging himself deeper into a hole that is going to destroy his legacy as Speaker over the Mojo Mathers' right to participate in Parliamentary debate. The Minister for Disabilities, Tariana Turia, is missing in action (probably off granting more of…
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Lower the threshold and reduce wasted vote; leave it at 2-3% to make it less likely multiple one-man bands hold balance of power. Stop winning an electorate being a route to getting list seats; eliminate most dirty deals. Let List MPs run in by-elections and…
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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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Watch Grant Robertson's question to Key today; Robertson to Key on Radio Live Key didn't know his office was involved in the show that breached the Broadcasting Act, even though he personally chose the guests? It was a matter solely between the Electoral Commission and…
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Making Mojo Mathers pay for the tech she needs to participate in debate is bad enough. She is a democratically elected member and the people who put her there deserve effective representation. Saying that deaf people don't count as 'disabled' is outrageous. More bigotry from…
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You may have noticed the ads about The Standard for the MMP Review that the Electoral Commission announced yesterday. MMP won last year's referendum with 57% of the vote, so now's your chance to have your say on what MMP will look like in the…
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The four new Labour MPs make their first ("maiden") speeches today in Parliament, starting at 5pm. Details on how to tune in are here (audio only instructions here). The speaking order is: David Clark Andrew Little Megan Woods Rino Tirikatene I'd expect to hear some…
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A number of terms are bandied about to describe both John Key and the John Key Government. Using such terms and trying to reconcile their seeming contradictions can prove confusing. Indeed, from time to time we have seen such confusion manifest itself on this blog…
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The Bankers' Crisis is hurting people all over the world. From the deepest, darkest austerity in Greece, to the continuing foreclosure tsunami in the US, to cutbacks and job losses here, it's the ordinary people suffering the hangover for the bankers' wild decades of unbridled…
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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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Scott at Imperator Fish has kindly given us permission to syndicate posts from his blog – the original of this post is here Rumours are swirling of an imminent leadership challenge within the All Blacks camp. Speculation began that Richie McCaw may face a challenge to his captaincy…
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Not everyone in the Beehive is thrilled that National is throwing away its chance at a third term for the sake of asset sales which make no sense, economically or politically. The Standard has obtained a copy of the generic column that National MPs are…
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Capitalism is good. Globalisation is good. These are pretty much givens in "Western" countries. Certainly they are taken for granted in mainstream New Zealand politics. The two major parties tinker with the parameters, but they're both playing in the same ball park. But it's good…
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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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vto made a comment that he thought that the number of comments was diminishing at kiwiblog. Now I have no idea because I usually avoid the sewer that is the comments section there. However it did remind me that I should have a look at…
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Andrea Vance and Lois Cairns of The Sunday Star Times report A new UMR Research poll of 750 people shows the prime minister's favourability rating dipped by 9 per cent between October and December of last year to its lowest level since January 2010. The…
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Authors here have been saying for a while that Key may well quit during this second term. Even John Armstrong can see the writing on the wall: Grim reality has taken its toll on cheerful Key So it's goodbye Mr Smile and Wave, and hello…
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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...