Strong showing for Len Brown
Sam Cash writes it’s good news for Auckland with Len Brown opening up a strong lead over John Banks. Len Brown’s campaign seems to have been quietly gathering momentum since he launched his insurgency last year.
Sam Cash
Question over Banks’ polling
Sam Cash has spotted a possible issue with Dodgy John “if I wear my policy on my sleeve, I won’t get elected†Banks’ most recent mayoral poll. Could it be Banks is just polling ratepayers to boost his numbers?
Dead even in Auckland
Sam Cash takes a look at John Banks’ latest poll and doesn’t find too much to crow about for the Mayor for Remuera – noting he has only managed to draw even with Len Brown in spite of the huge profile lead he has over his challenger.
C&R’s takeover attempt
Voters of the Auckland region should be very concerned with the news that the Auckland City CBD-based Citrat political party looks set to run a single whipped slate of candidates at this year’s supercity election. The fear is that the C&R CBD old boys are gonna do in Waitakere, Manukau, Franklin, Rodney and the North Shore what they did in Otahuhu. Talk about crushing local voice.
Banks’ brand is buggered
How much is the Huljich Kiwisaver figure-fudging scandal hurting John “the dodgy-director†Banks’ mayoral chances? Answer: a lot.O’Sullivan then explicitly writes off Banks – saying he’ll lose to Len Brown – and joins the long list of commentators criticizing the Huljich rip-off and noting it has damaged Banks’ chances. Think this story is only getting play in the business pages? It’s not.
Supercity: Who’s gonna vote?
Recent polls highlight how important turnout will be at this year’s local body election.
Sam Cash takes a look at recent history and how attitudes to the supercity and the themes of this election could increase participation.
Banks gets bitten
In a sure sign that the political phone is off the hook for John ‘Mayor for Remuera’ Banks, the deputy mayor of Rodney […]
Hide opens door for Winston?
Eddie has already covered the story of Hide giving the middle finger to the people of Franklin regarding the Supercity. Franklin is Tory […]
Bhatnagar to knock out Hide?
There is a story in today’s Herald noting that current C&R Hobson councillor Aaron Bhatnagar is not going to stand for the new […]
Brown picks up momentum
It’s interesting to look at the trend behind the headline 11 point poll lead Len Brown has opened up over John Banks as […]
Shipley to knife Banks?
There is a very revealing article in this month’s Metro magazine (not online) that takes a look at the strengths of the campaigns […]
With friends like these…
John ‘Mayor for Remuera’ Banks would’ve been gagging on his morning gruel after reading this headline on page two of Monday’s Herald: Jeers […]
Remuera mayor discovers there are other parts of Auckland
Lord Mayor of Remuera John ‘barking mad’ Banks has (mis)fired the first shots of his campaign by producing some strip advertisements outlining the […]
Banks’ leadership takes battering
Fresh from pulling the pin (then blaming others) on a Queen’s Wharf redesign competition he himself conceived, led and championed, Remuera mayor John […]
Destroying Auckland city
Yesterday the Auckland Transition Agency (ATA) released its draft structure for the new Auckland council. Fortunately for the staff, and service levels in […]
Banks threatens your council services
John ‘in your guts you know he’s nuts’ Banks has isolated himself out to the right of Rodney Hide when it comes to […]
National/Citrats abandon Tamaki-Maungakiekie
Last night C&R councillor and National Party MP Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga ended his double-dipping charade and quit the Auckland City Council. By way […]
Recalling John Banks
John ‘barking mad’ Banks’ cheerleader WhaleOil has called for Rodney Hide to introduce the power of recall into the legislation for the new […]
Banks panic
Len Brown seems to have the Right in a bit of panic. Remuera Mayor John ‘in your guts you know he’s nuts’ Banks […]
John Banks lets his city slide
Far from being a careful steward of ratepayers’ money and someone who takes pride in his city, Auckland mayor John Banks is allowing […]
A leopard doesn’t change his spots
There is a very revealing quote from John Banks in the weekend’s Dominion Post where he talks about his campaign strategy: Uptown, Auckland […]
Interviewing 101
Exam question 65 If you were a highly-paid media interviewer and John Key said to you that he was absolutely certain that Helen […]
Clown princes
The ‘Key-English secret recording followed by denial followed by excuse followed by apology’ debacle is, well, an utter debacle. If these clowns ever […]
Radio National
The day that National Radio publicises a ‘survey’ produced by Matthew Hooton is a very strange day. That day is today. Hooton’s ‘independent’ […]
Chief Press Sec O’Sullivan leaves Key questions open
Today’s Herald sees Fran O’Sullivan making another valiant effort to dig her hero, John Key, out of the hole he’s in over his […]
Lawson not bonkers
Esteemed Tory Brit-econ-pop-enviro-guru Nigel Lawson, Lord of Blaby, dad of Nigella, is not bonkers. Lord Blaby (Ed: shurely not? Wot? It is true?), […]
Up-Skilling Skilling
The NZ Institute needs to look a bit more closely before leaping into print. The strangest thing about its exhortation that NZ should […]
True blue genius
The depth of National’s talent is a constant source of amusement. Jackie Blue, allegedly one of National’s slightly-brighter-than-average young things (speaking of, has […]