Economic step-change or English side-step?
Beware of a Finance Minister who is selective in the use of statistics. This was Bill English’s answer to a patsy question in Parliament about National and the economy…
John A
What would you have done, Prime Minister?
A very strange statement from Timaru financier Allan Hubbard in this story from the Herald after his company had been put into statutory […]
The beam in the eye
For me the main scandal about taxpayer funding this week is the fact that we have all contributed $209,000 towards helping Nick Smith […]
Weasel words from no-balls McCully
This from McCully – It is not up to the Minister of Sport to investigate allegations of racial team selection, Murray McCully says. […]
Bill wants to shift Kiwibank risk to “Kiwi mums and dads”
When floating the idea of Kiwibank’s possible sale to a post-budget audience last week, Bill English said that the government did not want […]
Investment ethics a million miles away
Brian Gaynor in Saturday’s Herald argues that investment industry organisations and their advisors owe a duty of care to investors. He calls it […]
“Surgical mining” like “surgical bombing”
Remember John Key’s talk about “surgical mining?” It’s like “surgical bombing” – there is a lot of collateral damage. A lot of people […]
Lee, Joyce and Hide’s Super City “pig’s arse”
In a letter to the Herald today, responding to Mike Lee’s op-ed of yesterday, Steven Joyce says:
“Contrary to what Mike Lee says, the Auckland Council will be able to appoint or dismiss any member of the Auckland Transport Board at any time.”
Problem is, Mike Lee didn’t actually say what Joyce says he did.
Herald’s “democracy lockout” campaign – pick it up!
On Monday this week the front page of the Auckland Herald’s print edition announced that the paper was going to run a campaign […]
National Standards Mk 2?
Michael Gove, Britain’s Conservative shadow Children’s Minister, has unveiled their version of National standards. Like Anne Tolley, he is sure he knows what […]
Tax and economic growth – Bill comes clean
Bill English’s argument that cutting taxes for the few at the top can cause an economic step change has always been nonsense.
His appearance on Q&A yesterday simply confirmed it.
GST is not a tax – suck it up
The best political commentary these days doesn’t come from the political journalists. As Zetetic shows, they have turned themselves into government minders. But […]
Pay the money back, John
Today’s editorial in the Herald is headlined “Class standards leaflet a misuse of public funds.” It says: In response to criticism from educationists […]
Tax Working Groupthink
The Tax Working Group’s summary presentation at their December seminar came from a senior partner from one of the Big 4 accountancy firms, […]
A little knowledge
David Farrar on Kiwiblog says When Labour reduced the top tax rate from 66c to 33c in the 1980s, the amount of tax […]
Congratulations Mike!
Good to see that Mike Moore has been appointed our new Ambassador to Washington. Mike’s energy and connections in Washington and the world […]
Poll closes up in Britain
The latest poll in Britain has Labour within 6 points of the Conservatives. A hung Parliament is in prospect. One poll is not […]
Government of Fantasyland
This is Nick Smith in Parliament yesterday, replying to a question on Treasury’s re-calibrated $50 billion costs of Nationals ETS Bill: Hon Dr […]
Ashcroft out of Belize into New Zealand?
‘Lord Ashcroft of Belize’ facing eviction as country turns on him. This is the heading in an article in today’s Observer. It’s worth […]
Double-talk from Dipton
Here’s what Double-Dipper Bill English had to say about taxpayer-funded advertising before the last election. National has raised fresh concerns about Labour cashing […]
Farrar right on electoral administration
I agree with David Farrar on the National Party’s proposed law combining the Electoral offices. These appointments are far too important to be […]
Fart tax Mk II – they fart we pay
I’ve thought for some time that some of the best political writing in the Herald is to be found on the business pages. […]
Kicking the tyres at ACC
The Sunday Star-Times details hitherto secret proposals from the John Judge-chaired ACC to cut back entitlements and increase user-pays. The hidden agenda: Introduce […]
Afghanistan election result crisis
The Guardian reports today under the headline “Crisis looms in Kabul over Karzai election results:” Frantic diplomacy under way as report looks set […]
Nick Smith and “Patsy” Goudie
The Herald posts this clip from Parliament entitled “Nick Smith under fire for ACC bungling”. Nice catch from Darren Hughes at the end. […]
Electoral SM
Philip Temple makes some good points in the Herald today: The Minister of Justice, Simon Power, indicated that he would soon present a […]
Money and justice
Jenny Ruth has the best comment I’ve seen on Philip Field’s sentence in today’s Sunday Star-Times – not available on the paper’s website […]
Anniversary-gate?
The Standard would like to wish Mrs Mavis Lawson many happy returns on her 100th birthday yesterday. We also had a chuckle when […]
Nanny Coleman on immigrant advice
Jonathan Coleman insists that there is nothing wrong with the Immigrant Advisers Act that restricts anyone giving any advice on immigration matters to […]
No bull
An interesting take on the Crafars from Bernard Hickey in the Herald. He starts off: The Crafar Farms tragedy is a microcosm of […]
Slow off the mark
Colin Espiner also writes in yesterday’s blog: The Government was slow off the mark in sending a minister up to Samoa. While Labour quickly […]
“Caped crusader’s plan flawed”
That’s the headline from today’s editorial in the DomPost. Th DomPost starts off: The last time this Government got into real trouble it […]
What can you buy with 5x$10,000?
National has released its proposals for election law. Labour has criticised the $10,000 level above which donations must be disclosed as too high. […]
Pecuniary interest
John Key has repeatedly said Bill English did not have a”pecuniary interest” in the house he lives in in Wellington with his family. […]
Auditor-General to enquire re English
Herald reports that AG will make preliminary enquiries into English’s housing payment. This follows a suggestion in today’s Business Herald that his credibility […]
Curiouser and curiouser
It’s not just Bill English that’s twisting in the wind over the rearrangement of his affairs to provide a pecuniary benefit to his […]