On the economy and tax cut bribes
National are not responsible for the eventual recovery, they are responsible for delaying it.
Politics
political parties
Surplus sunk
The Nats are going to miss the only target they ever cared about hitting – the mythical surplus. Seven wasted years and counting…
Andrew Little’s adjournment speech
Well worth a look. A straight talker, with a sense of humour, freshness and vigour.
The line on Little…
The Nats have finished focus-grouping their attack line on Andrew Little and are moving in to deployment. As narrated by Twitter this morning…
Whaleoil is the only person John Key apologised to this year
John Key’s only formal apology this year was to serial privacy breacher Cameron Slater for breaching his privacy. Not to any of the victims of dirty politics or to any of the victims of this Government’s policies. Why is it that National is continuing to allow Slater to undermine the Prime Minister’s position so effectively?
‘Ditch the [misleading] rhetoric’
On RNZ this morning PSA National Secretary Richard Wagstaff criticised Bill English for his misleading rhetoric about rises in “average wages”. NZ’s income and wealth gaps have increased in recent decades. The lowest income remain low; the top earners get big salary increases.
A good speech
A good speech from Green MP James Shaw in Parliament’s closing session yesterday.
Why is it Len’s fault?
Various Tory voices, fresh from finding Len Brown guilty of needing a wee; now find he’s to blame for failing to get his visionary Central Rail Loop started on time, with its delayed start to 2018. But surely the blame lies not with him, but squarely with National and Key for refusing to pay their share until 2020.
Oppose the housing sell off!
A last-minute, urgent appeal from Phil Twyford – oppose the sell off of state houses – today!
New Zealand Betrayed – Again
A guest post from BLiP on Labour’s support for the “terrorism” legislation.
Dodging the big decisions
Colin James has an excellent piece on the housing market. Simon Collins has a piece on the implications on young renters. Meanwhile, a number of other big problems are being ignored by National as well.
First review results
“Labour’s review panel has reported its findings back about the party’s election campaign and the reasons for the low 25 per cent result, identifying problems ranging from a failure to unite behind former leader David Cunliffe to resourcing and confusion over its “Vote Positive” slogan.”
Poor (and rather pathetic) Bomber
Martyn Bradbury is still ‘leading’ the left from the behind. My focus on this site is how to reduce all the costs. One of those costs over the last year has been complaints about us from inside the NZLP. That is why I decided last month to drop my membership. Bomber snarkily whining up his ego looks like another wasteful cost.
Today’s DomPost cartoon
Andrew Little grows into his role as Labour leader.
The tipline has a SST column
Judith Collins had her debut as a columnist in the Sunday Star Times today. Her article was not contentious and raised issues of importance. She also revealed that she never liked the name “Crusher” and Hager’s description of her was false in many ways.
Heads in the Sand protest this Sunday
The Coal Action Network is planning a series of protests this Sunday to highlight how this Government has its head planted firmly in the sand when it comes to addressing climate change.
Groser and National have a plan to save the world from global warming
Tim Groser and National have a plan to solve global warming so cunning you could put a tail on it and call it a weasel.
Dirty Politics and the health advocates
How is it that Katherine Rich can be the head of the Food and Grocery Council and look after the interests of suppliers yet at the same time be on the Health Promotion Agency and not have a conflict?
National’s campaign of false equivalences
John Key has been advertising us in parliament. But he has a problem distinguishing how his right puppet blogs operate compared to the volunteer blogs of the left. It says more about how John Key thinks than it does about us. Key prefers sites that recruit prostitutes in order to blackmail reporters.
Charter Schools: F
So despite the vast amount more funding (5x more per pupil) to charter schools, 1 of the 5 first, Te Kura Hourua ki Whangaruru, is failing abysmally.
The Government has previously said that all their problems were fixed, or being fixed – but they clearly aren’t.
Is John Key on the skids?
In the House today Megan Woods embarrassed John Key with some very simple yet direct questions about Jason Ede. Key’s attempts to joke away the issue was met with silence from his side of the house. Dirty Politics is clearly having an effect.
Local Bodies: Government Responsible for Invercargill Poverty
The second annual Child Poverty Monitor was released today. bsprout on Local Bodies on poverty and inequalities in Invercargill, “provides a good snapshot of New Zealand society”.
The Countering Terrorist Fighters Legislation Bill
The Countering Terrorist Fighters Legislation Bill is set to return to Parliament today with some changes likely to be recommended by the select committee. And John Key is sounding conciliatory by promising to wind some powers back while at the same time promising an increase in powers next year even though a review of the Intelligence agencies has not been completed.
Local Bodies: John the Don and the Family
bsprout on the Local Bodies blog departs from his more usual style and makes some parallels with popular culture. One of John Key’s many hats?
Andrew Little: the future of work
The text of a speech delivered by Andrew Little this morning
The week that was
The past week has been a terrific one for Andrew Little and a very bad one for John Key, thanks to Cameron Slater. Key failing to cut contact with Slater is bizarre. It makes you wonder what Slater has on Key.
Save Our State Houses: Labour Party
Kevin Hague says, the government’s plan to replace state housing with “social housing” will make the affordable housing crisis worse & is “economically reckless”. The Labour Party have circulated a petition to save state houses from being sold by the NZ government.
Moira Coatsworth announces resignation
Labour Party president Moira Coatsworth has announced that she will stand down as Party President in December.
Dirty political money – why isn’t it illegal?
The Greens have released information that shows National having 77% of their donations in the last 3 years ($3.375 million) funnelled to them in non-public quite large donations. What are they providing for that? Well amongst other things it pays for sleazeballs like Jason Ede. But what legislation?
Scope
Yesterday’s 2 reports are even worse for what they managed to conclude inside their scope. What was outside their scope shows things even more interesting.
A Breakdown.
There’s a lot of smash flying around concerning the SIS, the PM’s office, OIA requests, Judith Collin’s and what not. So here’s a simple, stripped back, breakdown
Only on Planet Key
John Key thinks that the finding by Cheryl Gwyn that his office helped Cameron Slater with his OIA request is “contested”. Who should we believe? Updated: Key will be asked this question this afternoon in Parliament.
Gwyn report
The Gwyn report finds that the SIS failed to maintain political neutrality.
What did Key know and when did he know it?
Key will apologise to Slater but not Billingsley or Vance
John Key has apologised to Cameron Slater for releasing an email which details a campaign against a senior Public Servant.
Gwyn Report to confirm dirty politics
What did Key know and when did he know it?
Polity: New Labour lineup: 8/10
Rob Salmond has a look at the new Labour lineup. “…a consistent display of clarity and unity and being on New Zealanders’ side is what is needed from Labour right now”. Gives it an 8 out of 10