Tim Watkin recently had a post over at Pundit, saying about why a 15% gap (in their latest poll of polls, uncorrected like Danyl's) between Labour and National matters (presuming that it stays that way and polls don't massively bounce around - see 11 point…
Today's New Zealand editorial not only claims that too many beneficiaries are travelling overseas, and that the rules allowing such trips should be tightened, but that there really isn't very much poverty in NZ. Paula Bennett's benefit changes have made life increasingly hard for beneficiaries. …
Don't get me wrong. I am a proud republican. This position is based on a number of beliefs, that we are all born equal and should be treated equally, that historically the English Monarchy has much to be ashamed of, that the sort of wealth…
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Rob Salmond at Polity generously allows us to repost his posts. Like this one on the latest set of bullshit from John Key on interest rates. I rate John Armstrong. He has a rare ability to cut through the BS, when he wants to, and…
Tracy Whatshite, Cadet Reporter, attended the “Bellies” (held at Bellamy’s) and found out who the winners were in this year’s competition for the Best Political Song of 2014. She spoke with the judge Frankie Stevens. “Competition was particularly intense this year and the top entires…
David Farrar has let slip that he has been privy to information which is only intended for select committee members. Tim Watkins covers this over on pundit: The most interesting part is in relation to a letter that Countdown sent to the commerce select…
Seen on RNZ's website this morning, among the audio files for today's Morning Report: The 3 stories summarised as: 07:25 John Key talks about NZ aid relief, and a timeframe for a republic. 07:29 Prince William, his wife Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge, and Prince George start…
bsprout at LocalBodies allows us to repost some of his interesting pieces. This one from last thursday asks why National are so fixated on selling our oil and gas exploration rights. 'Gamble Big' rather than 'Think Big' should be this National Government's mantra.Opening up huge…
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An article on a Stuff web page, written by Laura Walters and published last night, shows some interesting contrasts. It's a report on the protest last night by the Auckland Action Against Poverty, outside the Young Nats ball. Some extracts, highlighting the socio-economic divisions in…
There has existed a major policy difference between Labour and the Greens on the one hand and National on the other hand about when Auckland's city rail link should be built. The Greens are solidly in support of it. Last election Labour pledged to cancel the…
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In a massive hall in West Auckland, a community stood up and said enough to synthetic cannabis. Organised by the Waitakere Community Law Service with the community, hundreds of people from all different sectors of the community met to discuss the problem and what they can…
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When the Election Day was announced, Young Labour accidentally posted a graphic on Facebook that had the wrong date on it. The Tory blogosphere were all over it. The Young Nats gloated on Twitter. Whaleoil said it showed Labour couldn’t do maths. KiwiBlog claimed Labour should be disqualified…
Annette Sykes will be a great voice in parliament for those Kiwis in most need. There are reports recently that Annette Sykes has been out door knocking in her Waiariki electorate, and has developed a very effective on the ground organisation: RNZ Hone Harawira on…
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So apparently National has won the election. At the moment, all the MSM political news is framed around Key being unbeatable, born to rule and how Labour, Cunliffe and the Left in general just don't have the 'right stuff' to make it. This fixation on…
David Farrar often bullshits on numbers as he usually does. Does he have what appears to be a maths block that makes him so wrong so often (like his old boss Bill English)? Or is it just that he obeys orders like the good National…
No Right Turn gets an expected response testing the Cabinet office and then goes on to test the Ombudsman. Last month, we learned that Judith Collins had taken time off a taxpayer-funded trip to China to endorse her husband's company - a company which had also donated…
John Key gave a pre budget speech yesterday with a number of startling claims about the economy. David Parker has done some quick fact checking and following are his conclusions. I wonder if the Media will now report on these discrepancies as some of them…
A diverse but supportive wide ranging network left-wingers can provide the energy and activism needed for the upcoming election campaign. Time to end the "neoliberal" tyranny! Income inequalities and social inequalities are interconnected. "Neoliberal" discourse attempts to sever this connection, making the focus on the…
Two days after the IPCC has warned of the dangers posed by climate change and this Government has announced proposals to open up much of New Zealand's territorial area for exploratory oil drilling. The timing shows either either stunning ineptitude or extreme belligerence. National yesterday reaffirmed…
A government is carrying out a crash-program of privatization without a mandate. It is desperate to sell, so it sets the price of the shares artificially low, and loses $1.5 billion in a single day. No, this isn't New Zealand (yet) - its the UK: The…
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This was previously published at scoop. When so-called iwi leaders condemn teachers for daring to highlight the massive failings of the New Zealand education system for Maori children in case the minister of Education might be embarrassed, then they show themselves up as a sad…
No Right Turn notes the typical response from politicians to the Fifth IPCC Assessment report. Perhaps that promoting legislation with a penalty of long prison terms for political negligence would help? It sounds like a good way for lazy politicians to retire. After all the…