An election strategy, not a governing strategy
When you look at the policy National has released, it’s clear that the focus is on winning the election, not on developing policy […]
Steve Pierson
The Standard Week August 8-15
Quite a quiet week after the excitement of the secret agenda tapes last week. The Tories are keeping up their hunt for the […]
Drinking Liberally – Palmerston North
A third Drinking Liberally chapter is underway. The first meeting of Drinking Liberally – Palmerston North will be next Friday at the Kingsgate […]
Energy policy fails to energise
A positive and ambitious energy policy that reflects the personality of National leader John Key, was announced today. Old people wiped tears from […]
Renewable energy policy
A policy paper has been released on how the Government’s goal of 90% renewable electricity generation by 2025 can be achieved. Micro-hydro projects and […]
National and the media
A few mini-posts on National’s relationship with the media in light of the secret agenda tapes. _______________________________________________ A signature Crosby/Textor move, seen here […]
Before the polls
There’s a Roy Morgan poll out today or tomorrow, then polls from Fairfax, TV1, and TV3 on the weekend. Naturally, people will be […]
Into hiding
The secret agenda scandal has reminded many people that, behind John Key’s smile, National’s leaders are still the same bunch who were cutting […]
Activist Workshop
I’ve been awfully remiss in not posting on this earlier. Transition Towns, a group dedicated to developing the skills needed for communities to […]
Petition: sign the Enforced Disappearance Convention
In December 2006, the United Nations adopted a major new human rights treaty, the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from […]
Wait, what’s working?
ENGLISH: So we’re sitting here saying the punters are keen to keep it. They’re facing a recession. The last thing we want is […]
Bill’s big wink
‘No ifs, no buts, no maybes’ – that’s the phrase Bill English chose to use when denying he had any intentions of launching […]
I do a lot of work for charity, but I don’t like to talk about it
Many New Zealand politicians give away a large portion of their salaries to needy causes but they don’t make a song and dance […]
Sensitive about security
National activist/advisor Matthew Hooton on Nine to Noon: ‘the National Party leadership group is very sensitive about security. They look at the last […]
Nats bashing on solo mums
Wonder of wonders, the Nats’ benefits policy has an 11 page document attached to it. Oh, wait, it’s mostly just stats ripped from […]
3 more points on the secret agenda tapes
1) A secret agenda is not something that people talk about in public or when they know the information will get to the […]
Ambitious for beneficiary-bashing
That nice man, Mr Key, the one who says the old Left/Right divide is over, that he’s a new man with a new […]
Once too often
Last week Colin James wrote that behind National’s one-page wonder policies there was actually a substantive body of work. The publicly-released work rights […]
Point of debate
If most people knew as much as politics, economics, and how this country is run as they do about sport, the result would be […]
Desperate Nats reduced to bounties and bribery
When there’s a strike on, it’s common practice for bosses to offer individual workers a bonus payment to scab on their comrades and […]
The Standard Week: August 1-8
What a week. National has been in meltdown over the secret recordings. Bill English’s incredible initial reaction seemed like the launch of a […]
Key-nesian economics
I’m really starting to wonder why it’s the worst academics who seem to get the most media, Maybe it’s because the good ones […]
It’s about principle
The clamour for ‘policy’ from National is actually a slight misnomer. What Kiwis want to know is the principles that National stands for […]
Cui bono?
So, who stands to gain from National borrowing $5 billion if it becomes the Government? Ultimately, the people who lend the money are […]
Academic, youse are paid too much
Professor John Gibson from Waikato University says public servants should be paid less because they get paid more than their private sector equivalents […]
Unemployment to 3.9%
Unemployment rose again last quarter but remains under 4%. It has now been under 4% for 16 of the last 17 quarters. Interestingly, […]
Nats, have some pride in what you believe
So, now we know that three National frontbenchers were recorded talking about a secret agenda at the cocktail do last Friday. Think about […]
Hide on Nats’ woes
“the best solution is to say in private what you say in public” * Simple, really.
Mallard to speak at Drinking Liberally, Wellington
After a mysterious three week absence, Drinking Liberally Wellington is back tomorrow evening. Here’s the email: We’re only half way through a week […]
Fallout
National’s attempt to contain the meltdown from Bill English’s secret agenda comments at the National conference and on TV1 collapsed when it emerged […]
08wire on Nats’ Kiwibank secret agenda
08wire.org, your videos make me smile.
Nats’ policy top 10, what’s missing?
Here’s the top 10 policy priorities that John Key bullet-pointed at the conference on Sunday. See if you can spot what’s missing: 1. […]
Did Lockwood mis-speak too?
It has been revealed that Bill English isn’t the only senior Nat who has been discussing a secret agenda behind closed doors. On […]
Kiwisaver cuts to fund Nats’ tax cuts?
So, the rumour is that Kiwisaver will be slashed to fund National’s tax cut policy. Currently, the Government spends up to the following […]
Key’s shell-game wears thin
On National Radio’s Morning Report and Nine to Noon yesterday, Key ran the ‘not telling’ line once again and it was once too […]
Sarcophagus
After a stunning attack on John Key last night, Bill English is now reverting to more standard National techniques for handling ‘accidental frankness’. […]