The MPs go to Waitangi

Yesterday the political parties were welcomed onto the upper Marae at Waitangi.  Jacinda Ardern took the occasion to give a stock take of what the Government was doing to address Iwi concerns, Andrew Little gave his speech totally in te reo, and Simon Bridges chose to use the opportunity to politic.

Bridges’ biggest gamble

Simon Bridges has mimicked John Key and ruled out National working with NZ First after the election.  The difference is however that back then Key ruled out working with NZ First because NZ First was involved in a SFO investigation about the hiding of a $100,000 donation.  This time it is National.

Pay the money back Simon

Simon Bridges has stated that National wants to pay the undeclared $100,000 donation back but even though nearly two years have passed since it was made it still remains unrepaid.

Is National the party of law and order?

Following the announcement by the Serious Fraud Office of charges relating to the donation of $100,000 to the National Party Simon Bridges claim of being exonerated appear to be optimistic.

How low will Bridges go?

Simon Bridges has wondered out loud if anti semitism stopped the Government from sending a senior representative to a Holocaust memorial in Israel.

The right is splintering on climate change

The right appears to be splintering on climate change, with former Australian PM Malcolm Turnbull describing Donald Trump as the world’s leading climate change denier.  And locally National MP Andrew Bayley has talked the profound effects of climate change on Antarctica’s ecosystems at the same time as Paula Bennett is attacking educational material designed to make children think about climate change.

The great political heist that wasn’t

National has hinted darkly that the theft of laptops from its headquarters was possibly motivated by political considerations even though it had been told of a similar burglary of a neighbouring office had also occurred recently.

Simon Bridges went to China

It has been revealed that Simon Bridges’trip to China last year was organised by National MP and former teacher of English to Chinese spies Jian Yang and that an offer of assistance from MFAT was declined.

Bridges and the Robertson trial

National has released a video of Simon Bridges talking about the trial he conducted against Tony Robertson and suggesting he is in politics to change the law.  But the particular law he appears to be targeting was unchanged during the term of the last National Government.

T’was the day of Christmas

National’s social media team spent Christmas day deleting tweets suggesting there was any link between its MPs and members of the #turnardern campaign.

Rush to Judgment redux

Barrister Maria Dew has delivered a strong conclusion in the report concerning allegations of sexual assault by one Labour Party member against another member.  And Paula Bennett has not as yet apologised for her totally unfounded allegations against third parties.

The freedom to lie during an election campaign

Two recent National advertisements involving drastically inaccurate graphics have attracted attention.  And at the same time National is opposing changes to the Electoral Law that would extend the time that it is an offence to publish a false and misleading advertisement during an election period.

Right wing lies

New Zealand and the United Kingdom are both cursed with the right wing parties having the same advisors and similar means of campaigning

Strike Force Raptor for the win

National has proposed significant changes to the Criminal Justice system to create a Police group without evidence that it works, and that if enacted would make our prisons less safe and plug holes in our law that do not exist.

National’s Youth lauranorda rhetoric

National is proposing changes to the Youth Court system that show not only a disregard for working in the interests of young people but disturbingly show a complete lack of understanding about how the Youth Court works.

Little announces changes to Prisoner voting rights

Andrew Little has announced a review of prisoner voting rights to overturn National’s law change which the Courts have ruled to be in breach of fundamental rights and unjustified. Simon Bridges has announced that National will reverse any such law change. And he has topped this off by proposing that Tauranga City Council should prosecute and fine beggars and homeless people.

Hypocrites

National’s attacks on NZ First’s Foundation are hypocritical in the extreme given that it also has a Foundation and has used this foundation to hide the identity of donors who have collectively potentially contributed huge amounts of money to the party.

Hypocrite

Simon Bridges has accused NZ First of engaging in the most significant breach of electoral law in New Zealand’s history. But has not ruled out working with NZ First in the future. And has forgotten about National’s neat partition of a $100,000 donation to hide it from the authorities.

Fifty shades of meh

A group of farmers protested against Government climate policies yesterday including policies which the National Party either established or supported.

Sustainable Party launches

The Sustainable Party, National’s sock puppet party designed to weaken the Greens has launched. And its policies for some strange reason have not put climate change front and centre.

Dog whistling Housing Corp tenants

National has announced that it will put an end to a “state house for life” if it gets into power next year.  But its rationale is not only cruel but based on a faulty understanding of the local reality.

Zero Carbon Bill reported back

The Zero Carbon Bill has been reported back largely unchanged.  But National has a series of talking points that suggest it will not cooperate with the passage of the bill into law.

Burning down the house

Why is it that conservative politicians throughout the world engage in rhetorical attacks on laws that in many situations actually serve important purposes?

John Key 2.0

Chris Luxon has announced he will be seeking National’s nomination for the Botany seat next year.  john Key is pleased.  But Jami Lee-Ross is not … Update: Nor is Matthew Hooton …