Bridges emulates Trump
Simon Bridges has borrowed heavily from Donald Trump in releasing a press release saying that Ihumātao protesters should go home.
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The sociopathology of sanctions
Autonomous sanctions imposed on Iran and Venezuela by the US are expressly designed to drive whole populations into poverty to bring about regime change. They are sociopathic. Based on its values, The National Party wants to make such sanctions New Zealand’s policy. Extraodinary!
Five days is a long time in politics
Five days ago Simon Bridges predicted that unemployment had gone up. The latest figures show that the unemployment rate is at its lowest rate for the past eleven years. Update: My enthusiasm was too high. It has been pointed out to me that the Bridges tweet was from last year. My apologies to Simon …
Simon Bridges wants a new Digital Media advisor
A slight rewrite of an ad currently on Parliament’s careers website.
Memo from Crosby Textor – fake news
The Standard has obtained an internal memo from CTF Partners (formerly Crosby Textor) where it responds to allegations that it is a kindergarden for the rich children of Conservative Party donors, has engaged in misogynist behavior and ran anti and pro cycle astroturf campaigns to get a cycleway moved from near a client’s business premises to near an opponent’s premises.
The unbelievable lightness of Simon Bridges
Simon Bridges has insulted women and Tokelauans at the same time with a thinly veiled attack on Jacinda Ardern.
Ihumātao
The background to the Ihumatao dispute is complex and problematic and resolving it may require the Government to review issues relating to privately held land and treaty claims.
National’s cynical cancer policy announcement
National has announced a new Cancer Agency to replace the agency it closed four years ago to be funded from within already overstretched Health budgets.
The weasel accurately dissects National.
Matthew Hooton has a piece on National’s chances in the next election this morning entitled as “National stumbling to defeat”. Personally I think he is a PR weasel who is on the border to dirty politics. But he did cover the salient points that will be on the mind of the National party conference.
Dunne reckons next election will be close
Peter Dunne has come up with some 2020 election reckons that ignores current polling as well as National’s leadership problems.
The Greens’ attack ad
The Greens recent ad mocking Simon Bridges has attracted some strong criticism. But is it justified?
More polling problems for Bridges
Barry Soper has reported on a UMR poll that has National at 38% and Simon Bridges unfavourable rating at over 60%.
National’s ranks are cracking about climate change
National Climate Change spokesperson Todd Muller has publicly stated that he is broadly supportive of the Government’s proposed EV incentive policy.
There is no climate emergency according to National
Simon Wilson has suggested in the the Herald this morning that for purely political reasons National will frustrate and stymie action on climate change
Sometimes explaining is not losing
Stacey Kirk thinks that Julie Anne Genter should not have criticised National’s spin on the Government’s fuel efficient importation policy but forgets to do her basic job of analysing National’s spin.
D Day for ETS?
There are rumours that the Interim Climate Change Committee will propose that agriculture is included in the Emissions Trading Scheme as an interim measure to allow a levy/rebate system that can operate at a farm level.
Simon Bridges Going Blue in the Face Barking at Green Cars
Simon Bridges is barking madly at green cars.
Guest post – Bucking the trend at ECAN
A guest post from Anthony Rimell about a very disturbing attempt by ECAN to allow the levels of nitrate leach into Christchurch’s water supply to increase.
Labour to repeal ban on family caregivers seeking justice
The Government has increased funding for family caregivers of people with disabilities and is moving to repeal one of the most constitutionally outrageous legislative provisions that the prevoius Government enacted.
National supports 47% tax rate for top income bracket *
* this is one possible interpretation for National’s praise of the Morrisonn Government’s change to Australian tax system.
The right wing death threat against Winston
Newshub has revealed that Winston Peters has received death threats. And the allegations involve the European far right, the Christchurch attack, the anti UN Migrant pact movement and the National Party.
National offers to help with housing crisis
On behalf of the National Party Judith Collins has offered to help Labour deal with the housing crisis, the one that National is responsible for.
National’s reshuffle
Simon Bridges had the chance to show leadership yesterday, cement his leadership of the National caucus, reward on talent and hard work and seek to unite a caucus that clearly has a few problems. How did he do?
Like nats leaving a sinking ship
Amy Adams and Alistair Scott have announced their retirement from politics at the next election.
National is pinning 2020 success on someone who is not in Parliament
An expensive advertising campaign suggesting that Christopher Luxon could be the next Prime Minister after the 2020 election has appeared.
National is really worried that people may vote
Nick Smith has complained that making it easier for people to vote by allowing them to enrol on election day will disadvantage the National Party.
National’s next leader?
Retiring Air New Zealand chief executive Christopher Luxon has indicated that he is interested in a political career and is being talked about as National’s next leader.
Mark Richardson wants to be a Nat MP
Mark Richardson thinks he may have a future career and will be able to transform from overpaid TV personality to overpaid public representative.
National keeps digging itself into a hole on budget leaks
National continues to attack the Government on its handling of the Treasury budget leak. But it still has not properly explained why its behaviour should be considered ethical.
National refuses to rule out coalition with Destiny
On the day that Brian Tamaki engaged in some rabid right wing dog whistling and talked about a clash of cultures Simon Bridges has refused to rule out working with Destiny Church’s Coalition New Zealand party.
Pollwatch: 9th June 2019
We had both major polls out yesterday, as noted in previous stories, and boy were the results a doozy! In addition to twice […]
Two polls out tonight
The latest Colmar Brunton and Reid Research polls are out tonight and clearly they will be trying to measure what effect the Budget has had on public opinion. What will they show?
The Attack of the Snowflakes
National is playing the innocent victim of Budgetgate whilst being the aggressive attacker all along.
Bene bashing
National has engaged in the most crass form of beneficiary bashing in opposing Government changes to the benefit system announced in the budget and passed under urgency.
Budget commentary
Has New Zealand’s social media spent too much time on gocha politics and not enough on the substance of the wellbeing budget?
The Treasury website hack that wasn’t
The police has confirmed that a poorly secured website partially searchable through Treasury’s website’s search function was the cause of the release of sensitive budget information.