Nats’ ACC policy all about ideology
National’s ACC privatisation policy is another of its one page wonders (this time with three page backgrounder skimming the history of ACC and […]
Politics
Posts on government and governence at national and local level, political parties,politicians, and political participation
Not ready for prime time
John Key tries to reassure us that National’s policy to privatise ACC would keep the scheme’s principles intact. Here’s how he defined those […]
CTU rips Nats’ ACC policy
The Council of Trade Unions has put out a detailed, devastating critique of each of National’s arguments for privatising ACC. I’ve copied it […]
On the fourth estate
Francesca Mold on National’s ACC announcment: ‘What’s interesting is the way they’ve put this out under the radar, perhaps showing how sensitive they […]
ACC and the rhetoric of ‘choice’
National says its ACC policy will provide ‘choice’ on accident compensation, but choice for who? Employers will be able to choose between a […]
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 […]
Previewing the Nats’ work rights policy
The biggest protests during this term of Parliament were against National’s 90 Day Bill when it came up as a private members’ bill. […]
Nats’ ACC plan only good for insurance companies and lawyers
National has confirmed it intends to privatise the ACC scheme starting with opening the work account to private competition. This would see private […]
Key comes out against wage increases
This morning on Sunrise, John Key said “wage inflation” is a problem causing inflation and needs to be reduced. Wage inflation is a […]
National adopts Labour’s arts policy
So National has adopted Labour’s arts, culture and heritage policy essentially unchanged. Good. The flourishing of New Zealand’s arts and culture we’ve seen […]
The same dream
Some people don’t seem to understand that being of the Left does not mean being soley allied to Labour or the Greens or […]
Crosby/Textor line de jour
Every Wednesday, John Key does his round of interviews. Breakfast TV makes a nice soft start with interviews on Breakfast then Sunrise. Then […]
90 Day No Rights policy, why?
Why does National want to remove the right of workers to appeal against unjustifiable dismissal in the first 90 days of employment? The […]
NZIER poll
Buried away in the NZIER’s recent TNS survey on the Emissions Trading Scheme was this political poll showing a surprisingly high number of […]
Growing opposition to Immigration Bill
Nick Butcher has produced this excellent video opposing the Immigration Bill (which we blogged about last week and is covered in more detail […]
National’s plan for TVNZ
So much for ambition
Yesterday on Agenda, SOE Minister Trevor Mallard said that the Government was undertaking an exploratory study to see whether the factory that currently […]
Bullies
Why is it that the right are so much more litigious than the left? The recent example of Crosby Textor threatening legal action […]
Contrary to Key, Govt does target waste
The idea that a government would purposely spend money in a wasteful manner is patently absurd. Voters want more government services and lower […]
Winnie and Glenn
It appears, as everyone suspected, that Owen Glenn did give a donation to New Zealand First. There is nothing illegal or immoral in […]
Failure to front up
When was the last time John Key did an in-depth interview? Why would a potential Prime Minister be afraid to be exposed through […]
Remarkably unambitious ECE policy
Another one-page excuse for a policy from National, this one on early childhood education. After vehemently opposing 20Free, National would now keep it […]
Key refuses to answer your questions
You’ll remember our ‘interview the leaders‘ series. John Key has been the only leader missing, we’ve given his office plenty of extensions on […]
“It’s not okay” today either
The other day Dancer made some good points about the campaign “It’s Not Okay” and the role that organisations like the Families Commission play, […]
tis the season
I am beginning to think John Key’s attempt to turn statements that involve him into ‘personal attacks’ might be catching on. Check out […]
National’s Bank
After reading Steve’s post this morning mocking ANZ National for putting out confused National Party talking points dressed up as research, a reader […]
Nasty
On Tuesday, Helen Clark was asked what she thought of the fact that both John Key and Bill English have been unavailable for […]
Mind the gap
It’s worth remembering that polling gaps really do narrow when election campaigns start. We all remember the 2002 campaign. Labour reached 53% support in […]
Nats vs journos
Shane Ardern is now saying he was misquoted by the Te Awamutu Courier when he said ‘[Kiwisaver] needs adjusting from the employers’ contribution […]
It’s not ok
Is it a sign of a successful campaign regarding family violence – that “it’s not ok” – which sees broadcaster Tony Veitch taking […]
David Slack at Drinking Liberally Auckland
(Via: greylynnsinglesclub)
Positive moves on housing
Housing has always been an important issue for Labour. The First Labour Government instituted a massive State house building project, freeing working class […]
Chief Press Sec O’Sullivan leaves Key questions open
Today’s Herald sees Fran O’Sullivan making another valiant effort to dig her hero, John Key, out of the hole he’s in over his […]
The clean man
Has anyone else noticed John Key’s absence from the media in the last few days? I finally clicked to it while listening to […]
Silence those media lambs
Media bleating about Labour’s ‘personal attacks’ is getting tiresome. Some journalists seem to forget from one election to the next that an important […]
More anti-worker policy from the Nats
On Sunday, Bill English let slip that National still intends to take away the work rights of employees of small businesses for the […]