Is David Farrar being paid to attack plain packaging? His latest post quotes research described by the Melbourne Age as “pushed by the smoking lobby.” He also misrepresents New Zealand researchers’ views. The Age says “a co-ordinated assault just ahead of the review of plain packaging laws is emerging.” Looks to me like Farrar has joined it.
John Key’s election as chair of the International Democratic Union is significant. Key succeeds John Howard who has led the IDU for the past 12 years. Key’s acceptance signals that like four-time winner Howard, Key plans a long career as Prime Minister of New Zealand. This news should be a wake-up call for the Labour Party’s review of its election organisation and party structure.
Heavyweight Cabinet experience, strong egalitarian values, a cool debater, with a passion for manufacturing and a high-value economy, a good deal of steel and with an open mind and a twinkle in his eye – these are the reasons why I support David Parker for Labour Party Leader.
I watched the NRL Grand Final last Sunday night and pleased to see the Rabbitohs win. But I was sickened by what I saw from James Graham – two tackles led with his head fractured Sam Burgess’ cheekbone and saw David Tyrell stretchered off the field with concussion, not to return. Burgess should also have been taken from the field, and head tackles outlawed as they are in American football.
Today’s Herald editorial raises important questions about the police search of Nicky Hager’s home. “Inconvenient and embarrassing disclosures do not justify police actions to uncover journalistic sources. The effect of such raids is to intimidate such people from approaching media to disclose uncomfortable truths.”
“It all depends on the question you ask” – this was John Key’s resp0nse to a question as to whether he had concerns about the SAS identifying air-strike targets that might kill civilians. Farrar/Curia will no doubt be in the field now asking questions to find out how to make New Zealanders comfortable as off to war we go.
Last month the Australian covered “the biggest anti-terrorism raid in Australia’s history” extensively, complete with picture of sword “that police claim they were planning to use” according to Channel 10. Yesterday it turned out that the sword was plastic. Oz Police had a lot to say about the raid, but are staying quiet on the sword.
We can contribute to his defence fund here. It’s one way to help – this is going to be a long fight.
It’s the conference season in Britain. According to the Guardian, audio specialist Cassetteboy has rearranged cuts from David Cameron’s Conservative conference speeches to Eminem’s 2002 track Lose Yourself. Cameron can be heard rhyming “I’m hardcore and I know the score” with “I am disgusted by the poor” followed by “I’ve made sure we’re ready for class war.”
Trevor Mallard is known for frequent intervention with points of order in Parliament at Question Time. His latest intervention however notified to the Herald to refuse caucus discipline is out of order. The whip’s request to caucus members to refrain from expressing their personal views at this stage of the process is entirely reasonable. No doubt at some time they will all be let off the leash, but right now unity and solidarity is far more important.
It would appear that the Labour caucus has decided to take its time to fully consider all implications of what was a massive defeat before proceeding to decide questions of leadership. I think that is wise – we have to get the Labour horse in proper shape for the next race before we worry about the jockey.
A word of thanks to our departing Members of Parliament – Hon Maryan Street, Moana Mackey, Raymond Huo and Carol Beaumont. All those who put themselves forward to serve our cause in Parliament deserve our sincerest and most heartfelt thanks. Their life becomes an open book, their time is no longer their own, and the verdict of the electorate can be cruel for those on the list. Thanks to all for your commitment and contribution to Labour.
They’re at it again. David Farrar has a guest post from fellow VRWC member Charles Finny about FiveEyes, arguing that it’s kept us safe in foreign wars and Labour did it too. Which of course is not the point of the current debate about massive government surveillance of innocent citizens. Farrar then gets himself tangled in knots – if Dotcom is right Labour did it too – but he’s not of course says Farrar.
No its not our politicians, media or PR and pundits trying to make sense of what is happening here but according to the Tatler the Scottish aristocracy is nervous. Change is afoot.
John Key dropped Winston Peters’ visits to DotCom into an answer to a question in the Houseof Parliament on February 12 2014. Today when pressed by Guyon Espiner whether the information had come to him from Cameron Slater he ducked and dived all over the place but finally had to admit Slater was the source. This episode confirms that Key was part of the black ops campaign, not just his office.
There is a self-appointed “Vast Right Wing Conspiracy” in New Zealand. Odgers and Slater are key members. Search VRWC on Slater’s website and you’ll find their activities. After Pansy Wong’s forced resignation from Cabinet for misuse of her travel perk the VRWC thought the National Cabinet needed “some serious steel going forward.” You can read the minutes of their virtual white-board session on post-it cards – the rifts at the top are deep and nasty.
Judith Collins has re-entered the election campaign. John Key’s little helper is back. Collins should take her own advice to cyber-bullies earlier this year. Her time is up but she doesn’t realise it. National’s #teamkey campaign has become a train wreck, and John Key looks weaker and grubbier by the day.
Labour has the bold set of policies to take New Zealand forward into the 21st century – National’s “same old same old” tinkering will see the Kiwi skiff swamped. That was the clear conclusion from the debate between David Parker and Bill English on National Radio this morning.
John Key’s reaction to the revelations in “Dirty Politics” is straight out of Orwell’s classic 1984.
In July 2011, John Key was on holiday in Maui “having a whale of a time” – and also on Q+A in New Zealand letting the world know that Phil Goff was briefed by Tucker. So they do have the telephone in Hawaii.
Chalkie has a fascinating article in today’s DomPost on why foreigners are so keen to buy New Zealand assets – tax. He discusses Wellington Electricity Network and Lochinver to make the point that “the real appeal of investing in New Zealand is how easily foreign companies manage to avoid paying tax” – anywhere. Labour’s tax avoidance clampdown will benefit Kiwis much more than National’s soundbite approach to policy exemplified in Joyce’s bullying.
Tom Scott says it all. And the DomPost reports that National hopes to get their campaign back on track by showing an eight rowing together. That’ll work.
Key’s giving Collins a “last last” chance! After she’s outed an innocent public servant to an amoral blogger! Duncan Garner said it six months ago about Oravida: “John Key won’t like this, but by Helen Clark’s standards he looks weak.” That’s too generous – by anybody’s standards he looks weak, as well as unprincipled. He’s no leader. Update: Email here – name, job title and phone numbers including mobile
I think it’s likely that the emails leaked to Nicky Hager for “Dirty Politics” have everything to do with the National Party. Nicky Hager identified the main source for his previous book “The Hollow Men” as six people from the National Party. He thanks “the National party staffer who first suggested he work on this subject” in the preface to “Dirty Politics.” It may well be that the both leaks come from the same source, and for the same reason. There will be many people in the National Party who will be disgusted at what is now being done under their name.
Revulsion. That’s what’s coming out from a range of people who have ploughed through the inner thoughts of Slater, Farrar, Ede, Collins, Lusk, Odgers, Jordan Williams – they’re all repulsive. It’s the strength of that gut feeling in response that will sink their plot. Despite all John Key’s efforts to move as quickly as possible to the end of the day, …it’s still not ok. Key’s try at cover up is pathetic, and doomed to be futile. But what it shows is that he has chosen the moral low ground with the rest of them. TeamKey indeed.
Judith Collins naming the eponymous Simon Pleasants to Cameron Slater as the suspect in a document leak is unconscionable. She cannot remain a Minister, otherwise Key’s claim to a high standard when it comes to Ministerial behaviour is in tatters. This time the John Banks defence “I haven’t read it” and “I have taken his/her word” will not do.
It’s John Key. In a wide-ranging interview, he tried to explain how “the left” conspired to ensure over the last three days that they burnt an effigy of him, used a few swear words about him on You-Tube, ran a satirical video, and Nicky Hager launched a book at the normal after-work time! No wonder his minders would rather he didn’t do stand-ups.
According to John Key, allegations about Jason Ede’s muckspreading activities in cahoots with Cameron Slater are nothing to do with him because Ede now does not work any more on the 9th floor of the Beehive for the “Office of the Leader of the National Party.” The National Party employs him apparently. I would like to know exactly when Ede changed employers and email dates should establish exactly who paying for and managing him when the comments were made. Leader or Office – it’s the National Party spreading dirt – and many good people who are members will not be happy.
I was sad to hear of Dave Hereora’s death – another like Parekura who died too young. Dave was a good man, a gentle man, and a strong man. He knew where he came from, he knew what he stood for, and all those he worked for knew he had their interests truly at heart. He wasn’t loud, but he was effective…
Other than fixing child poverty, there’s probably no more important policy than this. Labour will commit $183 million to a comprehensive Youth Employment Package designed to reach 24,000 young New Zealanders.
Steven Joyce says Labour’s opposition to the sale of 13,800ha Lochinver station to Shanghai Pengxin is based on “xenophobia.” It’s not, its basic economic sense. The benefit from our land should stay here. And Joyce’s open door has seen rail wagons bought cheap and fixed dear by Chinese workers at the expense of good local jobs and crucial Kiwi skills. Labour is simply standing up for New Zealand. It’s the right thing to do.
John Key says he wants to “give Epsom voters a choice.” Some choice. First a crook, now a nutter. Colin Craig was a bridge too far for Key, but Jamie Whyte sounds just as bad. I think this reliance on the unwanted parties will hurt Key; it’s beginning to feel like 1984 and 1990, where the governing party betrayed the voters’ choice. Covert or overt, before the election or after, it’s still a rort. People don’t like it.
Labour has today released its Work and Wages policy. An immediate lift to $15 in the minimum wage, and a raise to $16.25 in April next year. 90 day free sacking option for employers to go in first 100 days. Core public service to get the Living Wage first, others to follow. That’ll put some money where it’s most needed.
Peter Dunne has been thrown the lifeline he has been begging for – National voters have been given the nod by Key to keep him on. One has to ask why would they bother – I can’t see him going back as a Minister after so many stuff ups and a resignation that leaves too many questions unanswered. Ohariu has a much better option in Labour’s Ginny Andersen – if she’d been there a truly independent Parliament would have delivered mothers 26 weeks parental leave for example. Dunne supported it initially but backed down when it came to the crunch.
In the late 1980’s I worked on the establishment of the Meat Industry Tradesmens Agreement, bringing eight awards into one. My lasting memory is how the meat companies hated each other more than they hated the unions, and they were no union-lovers. 25 years later, the companies still can’t get their act together, and it is the country as well as the farmers who are hurting. It may surprise some, but it’s the Labour party who is putting forward policy to bring in the necessary change to the $8billion industry. Good work from Damien O’Connor and the Labour leadership.
