U turns
Another gem from Tom Scott.
Politics
Posts on government and governence at national and local level, political parties,politicians, and political participation
MFAT leak too convenient
Why would someone in MFAT feel the need to interfere in the Australian election by leaking to the Australian media? I’ve been accused of conspiracy theories in the past but this leak seems all too convenient when National’s old mates Crosby Textor are up against it in Aussie.
Retirement age
Brash’s call for a “flexible pension” is the thin end of the wedge leading to a rise in the age of eligibility for super. At the moment National are rejecting his call, as Key would be obliged to resign if the age is raised. But the problem remains. National have weakened Labour’s Cullen fund and KiwiSaver, and they seem to have no ideas of their own…
Nats stand up for loan sharks
Disgraceful to see that National and Act have voted down Carol Beaumont’s moderate and sensible bill to take action against loan sharks.
All we got from National was weak spin and misdirection, while they sat there and committed to doing nothing. The result will be more Kiwis getting ripped off and abused.
Empty promises on employment law
National’s promises aren’t worth the paper that they’re printed on. They’ve broken plenty and downgraded most of the rest to “aspirational goals”. Now John Key’s current anti-worker employment policies add a whole new chapter to the list of broken election promises.
Where is National’s economic plan?
It became increasingly clear this year that National’s longer-term economic plan, such as they had one, could be summed up as “tax cuts and miningâ€.
With mining in national parks now out of the picture, just what is National’s plan to grow the economy and lift our wages to Australian levels?
Little confirms New Plymouth candidacy
According to Stuff Andrew Little has confirmed his candidacy for the New Plymouth seat.
I’d say he stands a very good chance of winning and will be a real thorn in the side of the National Party.
Key caught out again on 90 day law
Good to see John Key’s lies over the 90 day fire at will law are starting to catch up with him. An employment specialist has come out contradicting Key’s smug assurances that even though his fire at will law will explicitly remove our right to even be given a reason why we’re getting the sack, somehow good faith provisions would still require the employer the give one.
Key lies about sick leave
No Right Turn has a good post pointing out that John Key’s petty fascism on sick leave is already covered by the law. An employer can demand a worker provide a medical certificate after one day’s sick leave. All Key’s law change will do is remove the requirement for our employers to behave reasonably when we’re sick.
Mining backdown – Nats split?
Well done Kiwis! A rousing show of solidarity and strength has forced the Nats to back down from their plans to mine Schedule 4 land. We have preserved some of the most precious places in our country for future generations. This is a straight craven backdown driven by Key’s relentless need to remain Mr Popular. But whatever the reason – its the right result!
Abortion debate the silver bullet Labour needs -not!
I was talking to an old friend last night. She’s been a Labour voter/supporter/activist nearly all her adult life. She lives in Rotorua. […]
Key tells Maori Party to shove off
The Maori Party’s support has been a vital element of the sheep’s clothing this rightwing government has worn until now. It has been the fig leaf behind which the true nature of the rightwing agenda of the National Party has hidden. Key’s speech shows, National will no longer be willing to compromise to gain its support and does not particularly want it.
National’s donation spin
National is claiming its donations are strong but the numbers tell another story all together.
With an election possible within 12 months, National needs to scare up some cash – and quick.
Another stage, another clown act, as Key keeps distracting
Fran O’Sullivan calls John Key ‘Cheerleader-in-Chief’ today. I still prefer rodeo clown. But she’s on the money, for the most part, in her description of National as a party afraid of the public and afraid of its base, and most afraid of what would happen if the public ever found out about its base’s ideological plans for our country. National has become completely stage-managed and has chosen a clown for a leader precisely because a clown is distracting.
Fixing the election date
Pundit writer and legal academic Andrew Geddis has been doing some important work on electoral law, including contributions to the select committee that is looking at the 2011 referendum on MMP and the reform of campaign funding practices. You should head on over to Pundit and have a look.
Crash National’s Party – Protest for Fairness at Work
At the National Party conference in Auckland this weekend, John Key is expected to announce drastic attacks on workers’ rights.
You can stand up and fight back against this madness by joining the protest at 10am on Sunday at Sky City Hotel in Auckland.
Brash blows budget on 2025 taskforce
I wonder if Dr Brash thought close scrutiny would have faded once he left the political limelight? He certainly sounds entirely comfortable with […]
Bennett up in flames in Rotorua
The protest rally held in Rotorua, held its slogan high with nearly a hundred people in tow. “Kill the Future Focus Bill, or it will kill you!” was out in front along with cut outs of Paula Bennett, complete with fangs, risque cleavage and that famous leopard skin trenchcoat -all the props of an actor satirising the working class as she attacks us.
NZ Herald tells Collins to reset compass on private prison
The NZ Herald editorial criticising National’s pursuit of a private prison in Auckland should make Judith Collins and her cabinet colleagues sit up and rethink.
Can we talk about the issues please?
Can we pease have some reporting on the actual issues in the super-major race and where the candidates stand? I’m so sick and tired of loading the news-sites to be told who spent what on what (with the implication that there’s all a massive scandal somewhere) or a factual piece reporting on the opinion of some supposed expert on how the candiates are doing as if it’s a horse race.
A flower too far?
John Banks has put his foot in it again, and his sanctimonious claims about ratepayers’ money are looking ever more hypocritical. But I don’t want to know how much other politicians are spending on flowers, I really don’t care. I think the pendulum has swung too far in terms of examining the minute of the spending of public figures.
Two term Key?
Colin James has had a look at the pros and cons of Key staying past a second term.
So why would our fair-weather prime minister want to stick around?
No SOE saviour for Key over Crafar farms
Just spotted in the NZ Herald that receivers for the Crafar dairy farm empire have announced that state-owned farmer Landcorp has been unsuccessful in its attempt to buy the properties…
Crowdsourcing the deficit
Why let politicians have all the fun? Now the British public can get in on the service slashing action too – via Facebook. […]
Fat little lapdog
New Zealand hero Pete Bethune isn’t one for mincing his words – now that he’s free to speak them. He’s described the New […]
Who’d be an MP?
Who’d be an MP? In many ways it’s a dog of a job, and the prospect of really “making a difference” seems remote. Politics seems to bring out the worst in people, and too many politicians have earned the low esteem in which they are held by the public. But despite all this, some people are drawn to politics for all the right reasons. Good on you all. It’s a dirty job, but someone has to do it.
Private prison a money-waster, despite Collins’ spin
Judith Collins is lauding the $1.2 billion of economic activity that will suppoedly result from the private prison at Wiri. But wait, the government is planning to spend $101 million on construction and $40m per year for 30 years on wages. That’s $1.3b spent for only in $1.2b of economic activity. How’s that? Oh, yeah, the private foreign owner who will be taking hundreds of millions offshore.
Yes, next Roy Morgan out
In case you didn’t spot it in the papers (who for reason seem to be covering it this time), the latest New Zealand […]
Murdering statistics
Something that really boiled my blood a few weeks back, but which I haven’t had a chance to write about yet was this post by National Party pollster David Farrar on the topic of a recent lull in homicides in a single police district. It was the worst kind of politics – a person who knows his argument is false taking advantage of the suffering of people and the ignorance of his audience for petty party political points scoring.
Williams and Haden
Minor bits of “people news” this weekend. Andrew Williams has thrown his hat in to the ring for Supercity Mayor. And Andy Haden has finally been fired resigned from his role as RWC Ambassador (exit stage right, still blaming the media).
Mum & Dad investors keen to put a few mil in privatised assets
Kiwi Dad Michael Fay and his wife Sarah announced today that they would be keen to invest in any SOEs the government privatises. “My old mate David Richwhite and myself made $500 million off the last round privatisation.” said Fay, “It was a great success. We used other people’s money to buy public assets. Asset-stripped, flogged them off and walked away”
Landlord charges market rent
Thousands of tenants in Auckland’s CBD face rent rises from next year as the landlords start, after a 15 year moratorium, to charge market rental. Why is that news? Ahh well, read on…
Should’ve done it before, John
It seems John Key is now belatedly wading in to look at whether it’s at last time to cut Andy Haden loose as […]
Archives NZ merger set to be another “Super Stuff-up”
The ODT has obtained a report from the Crown Law Office via the OIA, which rather diplomatically suggests there will need to be some […]
Party central
Enough was written yesterday about the latest instalment of the slow motion train wreck that is John Key’s “Party Central”. So here’s Emmerson’s visual take.