Russian oligarch urges dump MMP
So, the Business Roundtable has resorted to calling in Russian oligarchs to aid their campaign against proportional represenation. Here’s what “Taranaki-born former Treasury […]
Politics
elections
Talleys: Corporate scum
I’ve long been of the opinion that the Talley family, owners of the Talleys food empire, are a corrosive force in this country […]
Lord Ashcroft woz here
Boing Boing reports that: The London police have bested their own impressive record for insane and stupid anti-terrorism posters with a new range […]
Third party returns
The Electoral Commission has released the third party spending returns for the 2008 election campaign and it looks like for all National and […]
Once bitten
After his gaffe last time Key’s made a point of openly announcing his next meeting with the Tories’ deputy chairman, strategist and largest […]
Madoff, transparency, and electoral regulation
Reading about Madorf and the filching of USD 33 billion in a pyramid scheme from his select group of customers makes for interesting […]
Nats scrap citizens’ jury on electoral reform
Frogblog reports: The Green Party initiative to have electoral reform reviewed and managed by a citizens’ jury has been scrapped by the National […]
Dunne’s deal?
The revelations in today’s Dompost that Peter Dunne’s United party took a donation from the Vela family shows again what a messy business […]
Caught in the ACT
The Dom Post reports that ACT will have to file amended returns after failing to declare $20,000 of donated office space. Luckily for […]
Sensible Sentencing Trust in drag?
Act have run an anti-crime protest outside of Mt Eden today and it was particularly theatrical by the sound of it with lots […]
Authorised for the Right…..
From the campaign launch, I got this photo, and decided that I’d put it up for the skulkers complaining about the EFA. For […]
Not with a bang but a whimper
The Privileges Committee has reported back. Peters is censured for not declaring that he had made a pecuniary gain from his lawyer taking […]
Compliments and questions
First, it’s nice to be pleasantly surprised by a tory. Turns out Tony Friedlander’s Road Transport Trust is not just donating to National. […]
ACT’s fifth Candidate?
The word around the traps is that ACT will be announcing the name of its mystery 5th list candidate at its Law and […]
Nothing to Hide? + more moaning
Prime is running a series of interviews every Sunday until the election with the leader of each party in Parliament, starting with Rodney […]
Nats still getting money from trusts
One of the great things about the EFA is that donations over $20,000 must be declared within 10 working days. Because of that, […]
End of the line for Peters
Winston Peters will be wondering why he has let his political legacy be destroyed by not simply declaring donations that came from legal […]
Political Funding – Have your say (eventually).
In 1993, the then National government reluctantly implemented the MMP system by putting in the Electoral Act 1993. This was an act that […]
Granny beside herself as polls turn
As the polls start to turn on National – and a new poll out yesterday saying the Left working with the Maori Party […]
Why didn’t NZF use Nats’ donations playbook?
This business with donations from the Spencer Trust going to New Zealand First but not being declared. I find it hard to credit […]
Key: “I just followed what was in my diary”
TV3 revealed last night that John Key has recently met with billionaire Tory donor Lord Michael Ashcroft. Lord Ashcroft clearly preferred that the […]
Break open the trusts
As we’ve discussed earlier, it would be highly surprising if the investigations into NZF’s finances find any serious illegality. At worst, a failure to […]
Peters stands down
Peters has stood down. Clark has taken over his portfolios. It’s good that Peters appears to have accepted that this is a necessity […]
But why?
I’m not going to spend a lot of time on Peters because its not the kind of issue that affects Kiwis lives (its […]
Clark cuts the thread
Winston Peters’ stories around the Owen Glenn donation to his legal fund are dangerously convoluted and have stretched everyone’s credulity but without real […]
Whom to believe? (2)
Owen Glenn’s letter to the Privileges Committee contradicts Winston Peters’ previous statements to the media, the Privileges Committee, and, presumably, the PM. Glenn says […]
Open democracy?
According to the Sunday Star Times the Sensible Sentencing Trust and Family First have decided to refuse to comply with the Electoral Finance […]
Winston and the wanker
Today’s front-page story in the DominionPost on New Zealand First is a complete beat-up. It starts off: More questions have been raised about […]
Common sense from the Herald – stop the press!
Brian Rudman’s piece in today’s Herald is so far the most sensible comment on the Spencer Trust affair. He points out that funding […]
EPMU cleared to campaign
The Electoral Commission has decided the EPMU can register as a third party under the Electoral Finance Act despite the National Party spending […]
Electoral Finance Act victory for free speech
The Electoral Commission has ruled that several unions affiliated to the Labour Party are able to register as third parties under the Electoral […]
Open up the trusts
Bob Jones confirmed on Morning Report that he gave $25,000 in 2005 to New Zealand First. The money was to be funnelled to […]
EMA Kiwisaver campaign in breach of EFA?
The Employers and Manufacturers Association’s advertising campaign to defend the ability of employers to make workers pay their own Kiwisaver employer contribution while […]
The Peters saga, a summary
1 – In 2005, Owen Glenn paid $100,000 towards a legal defence fund for a case in Peters’ name. 2 – Peters was […]
Chasing Peters, it’s easier than examining policy
For my part, I don’t see the big deal in all this Peters donation stuff. Transparency in election funding is important (and it’s […]
Spinbusting: NZF’s donations are Labour’s business
National is calling on Helen Clark to investigate alleged donations by Owen Glenn to New Zealand First (which, if they happened, were perfectly […]