Bayly goneburger
In breaking news Andrew Bayley has resigned as a minister after entering into an animated discussion with a staff member and “placing a hand on their upper arm”.
national
same old national
When will Luxon be rolled?
Christopher Luxon’s time as Prime Minister appear to be numbered.
State of the Nation – dire
Remember National’s promise to get us back on track? Salvation Army’s latest state of the nation report suggests that for ordinary people things are getting much worse.
Kieran McAnulty is underrated: How Chris Bishop Got Away with Blowing Up Kāinga Ora & State Housing Momentum
Kieran McAnulty’s points are fair and important – so why is media ignoring most of them? Also – Labour delivered 14,000 homes in government – so why is Chris Bishop blowing that trajectory up?
Bring us your wealthy and your privileged …
National wants more wealthy people to come to New Zealand to increase investment fund levels. But what if we created the situation so that locals could increase investment through Kiwisaver contributions?
David Farrar’s Curia Market Research Woes
What happened to the Curia Market Research suspension? David Farrar responded after RANZ hired an independent sub-committee to investigate complaints about polling integrity
Selling NZ off to the highest foreign bidder. Is it still NZ First?
For a year, Luxon and Seymour have been prepping the Overseas Investment Act to sell NZ off to wealthy foreigners. But who is running the show? Libertarian interests of course. And Winston Peters might find the money good enough to fold.
The difference between Christopher Luxon and Donald Trump *
* is not as great as you think.
Luxon’s panicked reshuffle
Christopher Luxon has conducted a major Cabinet Reshuffle with the stand out feature the demotion of Shane Reti and the transfer of Health from Reti to Simeon Brown.
Reviewing the Cook Strait Ferry fiasco
A review of the history of the Ferries issue suggests that this could be coalition ending and career ending.
The absurdity of National’s Gang Patch ban
It did not take long for the first example of the absurdity of the Government’s gang patch ban to appear.
Government sabotages its Emissions Reduction Plan
Under its latest Emissions Reduction Plan the Government is placing major reliance on processing of orgnic waste and landfill gas capture. But it has quietly recently cut funding for the Waste Minimisation Fund by $177 million over 4 years.
Is Luxon on a roll?
Or about to be rolled? Word has it that Chris Bishop is waiting in the wings, as Luxon’s favourability rating drops below Hipkins.
Unacceptable
It appears that the Government’s intent to politicise youth offending by making an elite few dress up in army uniforms and march around in an effort to solve a lifetime of neglect is not working out so well.
National’s dodgy health announcements
National yesterday made great fanfare about an extra $30 million being spent on doctors and nurses. But news today of 1,500 health job cuts in the pipeline clearly shows how the extra funds are to be sourced.
END GAME
What is the game plan for the Coalition government? What characteristics can we observe and what is the “end game?”
Blowout in costs of Roads of National Significance
There has been a major blowout in the cost of the Roads of National Significance with the cost being potentially $10 billion more than National claimed during last year’s campaign.
This Government’s day of shame
David Seymour thinks that opponents to his bill cannot explain what it is they are opposed to but ignores the clear advice of 40 Kings Counsel who have written to the Government telling it that the bill is itself a breach of the treaty.
Government bars Journalist for asking tough questions
The Government has prevented journalist Aaron Smale from attending the Crown apology to victims of abuse in state care because his questions are too tough.
Nicola Willis Deflects As National Splurge On Roads
Nicola Willis deflects a question on why National are spending billions on roads without a business case – after cancelling the 2026 i-Rex – which had a strong business case and required $1.4bn more to complete seismic upgraded ports and next generation ferries.
The Treaty of Waitangi Principles Bill gets slammed
The Treaty of Waitangi Principles Bill has now been released and it appears that the provisions take away more rights from Māori than originally proposed.
What’s up with Matt Doocey, Mike King & the $24mn of taxpayers money?
Mike King calls alcohol a solution to mental health anguish. But evidence shows alcohol is linked to a 94% increase in suicide and has links to family violence. So what is happening with King and the $24m this government handed him in a highly “irregular” contract process?
Act’s revenge on the Waitangi Tribunal
In what must be the most unsuitable appointment decision ever made Richard Prebble has been appointed to the Waitangi Tribunal.
Government succumbs to Sensible Sentencing Trust pressure and makes Three Strikes Bill worse
The Goverment has bowed to pressure from the Sensible Sentencing Trust and made the Three Strikes Bill even more unworkable.
Luxon Tells The World Andrew Bayly Lied
Today, Christopher Luxon said Andrew Bayly got it “horribly” wrong when telling a Kiwi worker to “f*ck” off and repeatedly call him a loser. But Bayly had denied it just last week.
Who is the loser?
National Minister Andrew Bayley has apologised for his conduct after a complaint that he repeatedly called a worker “a loser” and swore at him while on a business visit.
Ferry crisis what ferry crisis?
The Cook Strait Ferry issue is getting to a critical point. An announcement was expected in July. But it appears that NZ First is digging its heels in about the need tor the replacement ferries being rail capable.
Hauraki Gulf Marine reserves are being Jonesied*
* the process whereby a Marine Reserve is opened up to commercial fishing.
Twelve months of this Government
This Government was elected 12 months ago. And I don’t think any of us could have appreciated how bad it would have been.
Inventing a crisis to privatise NZ healthcare
Yesterday a former Health NZ Chair said the government is intentionally manufacturing a crisis to privatise healthcare. However privatisation will not solve anything and will only lead to worse financial and health outcomes for all Kiwis as confirmed by Lancet Medical Journal and case studies around the world.
He is wealthy and he is sorted
“You just fake it until you make it. I have spent a whole career doing that” – Christopher Luxon.
Ferry ferry quite contrary
There appears to be an impasse in the Coalition’s ranks with Act and National not wanting rail enabled replacement ferries but Winston Peters demanding that they be rail enabled.
National’s gang patch ban may hinder police investigations
The police’s recent successful operation against the Comanchero gang could concievably have been compromised by National’s proposed gang patch ban.
National plan for 2000 extra Kiwis in prison per year
The government plans to put up to 2000 more Kiwis behind bars by 2034 at a potential cost of up to $1.2bn per budget in today’s money. Meanwhile crime, including violent crime is increasing across all of NZ.
Towards the abyss
Yesterday it was confirmed that Act’s Treaty Principles Bill had been approved by Cabinet for drafting and introduction into Parliament in November this year. Get ready for the circus to start.
Guess who needs help with his literacy and numeracy?
Remember when Christopher Luxon told the National Party that we had a maths teaching crisis? Experts have concluded that the statement is misleading. And an OIA dump suggests that behind the scenes there is an attempt to radically rewrite the existing curriculum.