Campbell on the TPP cargo cult
Gordon Campbell: “The TPP has literally become a cargo cult ritual that’s being performed in the hope that someday, one day, the Americans will return, bearing gifts.”
politicans
bill english
National’s messy Israel position
National’s shifting position on Israel suggests all is not happy within National’s ranks.
English savaged by John Oliver
You know that old saying about not picking a fight with someone who buys printer’s ink by the barrel? If not, Bill, you really should look it up…
Still spinning “social investment”
Directing welfare spending where it will do most good makes sense. But let’s make sure that that is what it is, not an excuse to simply cut funding, stigmatise, and target “undesireables”. National’s record does not inspire confidence, to say the very least. Then there’s the hypocrisy…
Fuck the homeless
Those compassionate conservatives of the National Party have a message for the increasing number of homeless who occupy our Brighter Future.
Bill English doesn’t get it – literally doesn’t get it – how messed up the “Brighter Future” is
“There are approximately 92,700 Kiwis aged between 15 and 24 who aren’t working, in education or training. That’s up 19 percent during National’s time in power, and Prime Minister Bill English admits he’s not sure why.” Could it be because…
Pike River – who to believe?
The Pike River families call Bill English a liar.
Reshuffle
Bill English is to announce a cabinet reshuffle today. What should he do?
Immigration in election year
National is about to execute a flip flop on immigration, not for any constructive reason, but to try and head off Winston Peters’ big issue.
Slack on Dagg and English
There was (among the usual dross) some great stuff in the papers over the Easter break. Here’s David Slack with some observations on Fred Dagg, NZ, and Bill English.
Mediawatch on Hit and Run
“Has the meaning of book Hit and Run been obscured by all the claims and counter-claims in the media?” – Yes of course it has, and that is a deliberate strategy on the part of people who are desperate to avoid an inquiry.
National’s response to the Syria attack
Unlike the Australian and United Kingdom Governments’ response to the American attack has been muted and confused. Is this just the nature of anything that Bill English says or is it an attempt to assess public opinion before responding?
Small on the Nats’ Key deficit on Hit and Run
Vernon Small thinks the B Team is missing Key.
The truth will out
English can squirm and deny, but according to Stephenson there is more Hit and Run to come.
Land of the long white wash
In ruling out an inquiry Bill English insults both our intelligence and our integrity. Next stop the International Criminal Court? (Alas the title is not mine, take a bow Finlay MacDonald.)
The NZDF will never clear its name – and neither will Bill English
It’s likely that some time this week Bill English will announce that there will be no inquiry into operation Burnham. The NZDF will lose any opportunity to clear its name. Fronting up to the truth, whatever it may be, is better than the perception of a shabby coverup.
Update: And there it is – no inquiry.
What does National do about English?
John Key has claimed that the transfer of power from himself to Bill English was flawless and designed to ensure continuation of National’s rule. Based on the last couple of opinion poll results he should reconsider his optimism.
Clifton: Nat MPs getting nervous
English is down 6% in the latest Colmar Brunton. Jane Clifton sees Nat MPs getting nervous. “For the Nats, having so long taken a fourth term as read, the possibility that their own leader may soon be less secure in his job than Labour’s will be a toughie.”
Impossible to refuse an inquiry
Bill English should stop being evasive and just get on with an inquiry into the fiasco outlined in Hit and Run. The latest developments make any other outcome ridiculous. The longer English delays the worse he looks.
Unpopular PM
Bill English has premiered at 25% in TV3’s preferred PM poll. Even incumbency can’t make Bill look popular.
National’s water problem
The Government’s timid backdown on water charging is placing it in a very uncomfortable position.
Nat branch chair calls for “corporal punishment”
Bill English should have spoken out to dissociate his party from Price’s archaic views. Why hasn’t he?
NRT: “Too hard”
No Right Turn: “The real barrier to National … acting on this is because that “no-one owns water, first come, first served” policy disproportionately benefits one group and allows them to profiteer from a public resource while destroying its value to others. That group is farmers – and they donate to the National Party.”
Breitbart Bill
Who has been feeding Bill English the latest alt-right attack language?
English flogging National’s one-trick pony
Never mind the record debt, the dropped contributions to the Cullen fund, the housing crisis, rising poverty, the deteriorating health system, the costs of quake rebuilds, the filthy water, the need to prepare for climate change – never mind all that, have an election bribe!
Who will Bill English attack next?
Fresh from insulting voters, English has now taken to insulting political parties. Perhaps he doesn’t want to be in government any more? Or is he just losing it completely?
English a shambles
English isn’t going to be very happy when he opens the papers this morning.
English proposes raising age of super to 67 (eventually)
In what seems to have been a panicked reaction to a disastrous series of interviews, English has just announced that the age of eligibility for super will rise from 65 to 67, phased in from 2037.
Bowron on English’s ‘useless druggies’ smear
Bowron: “Prime Minister Bill English’s reputation as a safe pair of blands taking the reins after the mysterious disappearance of John Key took a dive last week when he ruthlessly and cynically turned on Kiwi youth.”
National accuses John Key of shying away from the hard issues
Shambolic scenes as Bill English’s twitter account tweets criticism of John Key not taking the hard decisions regarding superannuation eligibility, then the tweet gets deleted. And Bill did not know the tweet had been sent out.
Future state abuse victims
What to do with the helpless anger generated by such a statement?
Social investment meets the surveillance state
First they came for the budgeting services. Now we know that every social service agency has to provide clients’ private personal data to […]
English puts super back on the line
In what was apparently a pretty dire interview on The Nation this morning, Bill English dropped one bombshell, possible changes in superannuation. For the record I think English is right on this. For a change.
English reckons the collapse of NZ’s housing is “a good problem to have”
In every case a failure to plan, a failure to deliver, and a glib attempt to fob off the victims of his government’s failure.
English hammered on ‘druggies’ smear
English will be worried that he got hammered like this, when Key got away with all sorts of insults and lies. And if you think your fellow Kiwis are useless workers you’re doing it wrong.
Homeless crisis hidden in plain sight
Bill blames the blowout in emergency housing grants on the “hidden homeless”. Hidden only from those who will not see. Hidden only from a government that deliberately chooses for political reasons not to collect the relevant data.