Key admits he’s using our troops as vote-bait
Yesterday the mask slipped and John Key admitted the real reason our deployment to Iraq is only for two years: so he can win an election.
Stephanie Rodgers
International travel perks for the people who got us into this mess?
The blogosphere leads the way in breaking a story about yet another sack of cash for MPs …
John Key’s weird “gotcha” moment on ACC
John Key and his MPs were acting like they’d scored a real hit on Andrew Little in Question Time. The reality is … not so impressive.
Save our kauri!
The clash between those who value our natural environment and those who think money is king is playing out in Titirangi this morning.
Little: ACC levies need to come down
A National government which loves to cut taxs + workers and business being overcharged ACC levies = levy cuts, right? Wrong!
What has Michael Woodhouse actually got right about employment relations?
For someone responsible for managing employment relations in New Zealand, Michael Woodhouse doesn’t seem to understand what “employment relations” means.
Political donations and conflicts of interest
Whether it’s about election donations or portfolios, some people do seem to think MPs should always get the benefit of the doubt.
The price of the club?
Back in 2003, John Key had an interesting take on whether it was appropriate to send troops to Iraq.
Tory “charity”
The Government is planning to make charities pay for police background checks. You can’t make this stuff up!
The right to strike
Celebrate International Right to Strike Day on 18 February by sending a message to Kiwi employers: stop undermining our right to strike!
Labour takes a stand against zero-hour contracts
Zero-hour contracts are the perfect illustration of when “flexibility” in employment relations goes all one way.
How does #nzpol do on Facebook?
Feinstein Doak has a post up with the Top Political Facebook Posts of 2014, and the results are interesting.
The lie about productivity and wages
The Productivity Commission has a new report out which looks at changes in the labour income share, or LIS, from 1978 to 2010. […]
The Northland by-election
A by-election is imminent – so how does Labour win in a safe National seat?
Who texts the PM?
The latest excuse for John Key deleting his texts wholesale is wafer-thin.
The meaning of dirty politics
One of the strategies of the right is to take any complaint levelled against them and reduce it down until it’s meaningless. Now they’re doing it to Dirty Politics.
WANTED: new ideas on child poverty
It’s great to see John Key taking a sudden interest in addressing child poverty in New Zealand. But why the change of heart?
The lurch to the right begins
Expect to see a lot of drastic rightwing policies this term as John Key redefines the term “centre ground.”
Three more years
This election result is not the end of the world for me – because I am very, very lucky.
Vote Key, get Colin
With the latest poll results it’s basically a coin-toss whether a vote for National gets you Colin Craig and his extremist mates at the Cabinet table.
NZ Inc: Frightening the invisible horses of the market
The Herald is scathing of Labour’s NZ Inc policy, which defies all logic and reason by assuming that there are better ways to build our economy than flogging off profitable assets, built by New Zealanders, to foreign investors.
The cost of a bowl of Weet-Bix
One of the most dishonest arguments the right ever put forward on the subject of poverty is around one of the simplest things in life: a bowl of Weet-Bix.
Get clean politics into the Herald
Action Station want to run a full-page ad in the Herald calling on politicians to clean up NZ politics. (Update: only $580 needed! Let’s do it!)
A clear Cunliffe win
David Cunliffe’s performance in tonight’s head-to-head with John Key was exactly what I wanted to see from the next Labour Prime Minister of NZ.
The only way National know to grow the economy
On Firstline this morning, John Key tried to compare National’s and Labour’s policies by saying “You can’t grow the economy when you restrict labour laws.” It’s nonsense, and it’s scary.
What kind of government would National lead?
The choice for NZ voters is becoming clearer in the last days of the 2014 election. The irony is that after John Key’s scaremongering, our options are a three-headed coalition of natural allies versus a five-or-six headed hydra of extremists and sworn enemies.
The Big Lie in action
This morning Rob Salmond did a great post about the “big lie” – the spin coming from the Right that Labour hasn’t concentrated on policy, just dirty politics.
Like clockwork, David Farrar has a post up about the latest polls, suggesting “Their focus on hacked e-mails instead of policy is backfiring.”
The Press Debate – tonight, livestreamed on Stuff
The second big head-to-head between David Cunliffe and John Key will be livestreamed on Stuff from 7pm tonight.
The first head-to-head debate – tonight!
The first head-to-head debate between David Cunliffe and John Key (tonight, 7pm, TV One) could be a real turning point of the election.
Supporting all the colours of the rainbow
Labour’s Rainbow Policy got some attention for its promise to offer a third gender option on passports and drivers’ licences. Why is this a big deal?
60 tweeps to follow this election
Bryce Edwards had his go at a list of the top 100 tweeters to follow this election, but with only 24 women making […]
Tax cut cynicism
According to the PM, Bill English saying there won’t be tax cuts was both true and untrue at the same time, like a fiscal Schroedinger’s Cat.
The opening addresses of Election 2014
Last night the opening party political addresses were broadcast on TV One, simultaneous with an All Blacks match and a live-tweeted crowd viewing of Labyrinth. So if you missed out (and don’t follow my every thought on Twitter), here’s my reaction! [Update: more links to videos!]
Looking at the big policy picture
Despite John Key’s key message du jour, the parties of the Opposition are talking policy.
How Dirty Politics hurt low-paid workers
While the right tries to distract and deflect from Dirty Politics, it pays to take a look at who got hurt by Cameron Slater and his buddies.
The right’s lack of diversity
On the right there’s one big party who have the lion’s share of the vote, and a smattering of odd little parties at the kids’ table fighting for scraps and key electorates. It’s one of the reasons National continues to poll so highly: if you’re a rightwing voter, you don’t have any other viable options.