Key’s gone …
John Key has announced that he will be standing down as Prime Minister from December 12, 2016.
Politics
Posts on government and governence at national and local level, political parties,politicians, and political participation
The many and varied thoughts of John Key on the Mt Roskill By election
An analysis of things that John Key said about the Mt Roskill shows a series of contradictory positions were taken at various times of the campaign.
A little humour
Hickey on surpluses and Key’s bullshit
Bernard Hickey: “It is extraordinary for the Prime Minister to call the Treasury’s short and long term forecasts a “load of nonsense” and yet rely on the medium term ones to promise all manner of riches to voters on the eve of an election.”
Labour landslide – media roundup
Audrey Young: “The Labour leader has described the win as ‘a bloody nose for National’. It is more like a bloody nose, a black eye and broken jaw.”
Update: As of 11am not a single story on Mt Roskill appears on the online front pages of either The Herald or Stuff. What a surprise!
Press editorial on failed state house sell-off
It’s more than a “dreary lack of ambition”, it’s a deliberate plan to underfund / rundown the stock to “justify” selling off, so that the Nats can indeed “wash their hands” of their obligations.
Labour sticks to the high road
As the confused media pile-on to Labour continues, it’s good to hear that the party is planning to stick to the high road.
Mt Roskill by election
Today is the day of the Mt Roskill by election. No discussion or comments on the subject will be allowed until after voting closes at 7:00 PM. Then you can knock yourselves out …
Labour moving “too far to the left” – Andrew Little responds
According some Legget guy that no one has ever heard of, Labour is moving “too far to the left”. Andrew Little responds, in the kind of unguarded human moment that we seldom see from our politicians.
Fund the Police!
Judith Collins is letting organised criminals off the hook as she insists the Police make burglary a priority.
Key “concedes” Mt Roskill by election
Key says he expects National to lose in Mt Roskill – under the bus for Parmjeet Parmar. He won’t be attending the wake either, and he spins another lie just for good measure.
By-election: Michael vs Fia?
Whose going to be added Parliament on Saturday? It should be Michael Wood, but his competition is Misa Fia Turner, who looks an even worse candidate than Parmjeet Parmar.
Meanwhile, Parmjeet is trying to claim she’s the local one!
Clearing the decks
National is readying itself for the next election by getting rid of some MPs. And Nick Leggett has finally disclosed his true political colours.
Faith in democracy falls
Is the belief that democracy is essential falling in “Western” countries? In New Zealand particularly so?
Massive education fail
Thanks National: “NZ kids worst at maths in English-speaking world”.
Everyone has advice for Labour!
In which pundit r0b has a wee rant about media pundits. Yeah I know…
Labour’s legacy: building a better New Zealand
Today is the 81st anniversary of the election of the first Labour Government. Reprint of a post from Andrew Little to mark the occasion.
Labour Green seat deals – about bloody time
Reports that Labour and the Greens will cooperate in some seats. Watch Patrick Gower’s head explode! But this is no Epsom.
Housing “affordability” blowout
Andrew Little was on RNZ this morning talking housing affordability. “The amount people are having to borrow for their first home has increased 43 percent in the last two years.”
Everybody wants a recount
US President elect Donald Trump has expressed support for a widespread investigation of America’s electoral system
New Parliament buildings
A couple of reactions to the $100m Parliament building plans.
Todd Barclay faces Clutha-Southland selection challenge
Todd Barclay is one of National’s worst MP’s, who made a mess of the party apparatus he inherited from Bill English. No surprise that he is facing a selection challenge. Ex Philip Morris tobacco vs. Merrill Lynch banker – lucky Clutha-Southland!
Child abuse and poverty – still with us
As topics like Trump and the quakes take the limelight, the slow tragedies unfolding in NZ carry on in the background.
NRT: “A stupid idea”
I/S at No Right Turn on Key’s statement that a gender-balanced cabinet is “a stupid idea”.
Why no leftie fake news?
Fake stories were widely shared by Trump fans before the election. Why is leftie / liberal fake news much rarer? A fake news writer explains.
America’s broken democratic system
Through partisan control of the electoral system and continuing attempts to suppress votes America’s electoral system is in clear need of an overhaul.
Key interview – facts don’t matter
Lisa Owen interviewed Key on The Nation yesterday. As usual Key spent half his time denying facts and figures – in this case from Treasury and from his own government sources.
Treasury predictions – not good
Brian Fallow in The Herald summarises the take-home messages from the latest Treasury report. National have us on track to disaster.
The Mount Roskill by-election and the strange case of the missing horse shoe
One News has reported on the strange case where a local Mt Roskill resident was threatened by someone describing themselves as Parmjeet Parmar’s right hand man, had a horse shoe thrown at him, complained to the police, but was subsequently told that the horse shoe had been destroyed.
Audrey Young on resurgent unions
Audrey Young writes on growing union numbers, strengths, and wins for their members. Excellent!
National better late than never on pay equity
A 2015 court decision forced National’s hand on pay equity. This week the equity working group reported back. To its credit National is accepting the recommendations, and unions are hailing a big win. But the final form of any law is not yet clear.
Mana and Māori Party ‘unification’?
Although the personality obstacles probably retired with Turia and Sharples, it is hard to see how Mana’s left wing policies can be reconciled with the Māori Party’s record propping up the Key government.
National plans to sell Housing Corp home Key grew up in
John Key, the state house tenant turned good who has relied heavily on his humble upbringing is overseeing the sale of the state house he grew up in.
Sale of Key’s old house a powerful symbol
English admits that the government has done a poor job of maintaining state houses, and uses it as an excuse for privatisation – its by design. The attempted sale in Christchurch, incuding Key’s childhood home, is a powerful symbol of the way this government likes pulling up the ladder that they used behind them.
Mining engineer: Solid Energy’s decision is “irrational”
An engineer’s report concluded it would be safe to enter the mine to look for evidence of the cause the blasts which killed 29 men.
RNZ on suppressed child abuse report
RNZ this morning describes a 2011 report by the Chief Human Rights Commissioner on historical child abuse in NZ. “It was never published because, she says, the Attorney General Chris Finlayson did not like its recommendations.”