The media’s handling of Labours Best Start policy announcement in January of last year and its handling of National’s recent budget announcement of a $25 a week increase for beneficiary families provides an interesting contrast.
Those pesky knuckleheads.
No Right Turn points out that the answer given by John Key in response to an Official Information Act request was completely inadequate legally. It doesn’t matter if he was in his guise of the infamous Parnell Pony Puller, or PM as he sometimes likes to call himself. He isn’t allowed to advise Rachael Glucina of the NZ Herald to attack his victim and then hide it behind his official role.
Interestingly two stories have broken during the presentation of the Budget. John Campbell has quit TV3 and a further hair incident involving John Key has hit the news.
Creepy Key has dodged a question from the Green Party about any contact he may have had with the New Zealand Fox News Herald in the lead-up to Rachel Glucina’s hit job on the cafe worker who’s ponytail he pulled.
The Herald has praised David Cunliffe with changing public opinion about the introduction of a capital gains tax. And rubbished John Key’s suggestion that the announced limited tax on increasing housing values is not a capital gains tax.
John Key is now arguing that black is white – that a Tax on Capital Gains isn’t a Capital Gains Tax.
“Typical politician” many will say – and that shows how far John Key’s skills have fallen.
According to John Key the proposed tax on capital gains if a property is sold within two years of purchase is not a capital gains tax, there is no housing bubble in Auckland, and the proposed new tax does not represent a complete about face by the Government.
National appears to be doing an about face on a Capital Gains Tax for housing.
Back in March 1988 David Lange had a clear idea about what lay ahead for New Zealanders as the long-term consequences of Roger Douglas’ psychopathic worshipping of the metaphysical Invisible Hand gradually materialised.
I’m all in favour of holding Key accountable for his actions in general, but not when the victim herself has asked McCready to desist. McCready should respect her wishes.
Chris Finlayson has described a comment made by John Key as “wild eyed stuff” on National Radio,
Spy watchdog Cheryl Gwyn has announced an investigation into circumstances surrounding possible spying on our allies by the GCSB in support of Tim Groser’s tilt for the top WTO job.
Given that Amanda Bailey asked McCready to withdraw his case, this is good news.
One of the biggest political deceptions in our lifetime? Or just an honest mistake by our noble Finance Minister?
Pulling ponytails and calling people names – I guess it’s true, the PM is 11 years old.
“National’s talk now is about how achieving surplus was an “artificial target” and that getting a surplus is “like landing a 747 on the head of a pin.” A lot of effort has gone into glossing over the broken promise. But I see it for what it is – one of the biggest political deceptions in a lifetime.”
Two opinion pieces yesterday make uncomfortable reading for Key.
An excellent summary reposted with permission from Dim-Post. “Seems to me that one of Labour’s biggest problems – both here and in the UK – is that they’re faced with an opponent that is (a) better resourced than them and (b) uses those resources to make themselves far, far better at politics than their left-wing opponents.”
The English Election campaign and the results felt like a rerun of the New Zealand 2014 election campaign. Slick Crosby Textor designed attacks on Labour’s stability and on the leader and an imbalance of resources contributed to the result in both cases. How does the left counter this?
Someone is trying to fabricate the ‘truth’, but it isn’t Snowden and the people reporting him.
Two politicians with very similar names and practically identical, terrible excuses for their lies. But does it mean the honeymoon’s over for John Key?
If Key survives the next few weeks Collins will likely have missed her chance until after the next election.
“John Key … hopes he hasn’t embarrassed New Zealand in the wake of the embarrassing saga, which made headlines worldwide.” Ummm….
On Radio NZ this morning John Key gave an interview that was cringe-worthy, defensive and accidently hilarious. The man is a joke … and not even an original one.
John Key is back in the country and going by his interview on Morning Report this morning has been affected significantly by ponygate. And Judith Collins has suddenly burst back into public view with the obvious goal of seeking a return to cabinet. Or is it that she wants to be the next National leader?
Very wise of Bailey to dissociate herself from McCready, and make her own decisions about prosecuting Key.
(Image from Emmerson in The Herald)
Key dodges women’s rights issues in Saudi Arabia. For obvious reasons really. In other media coverage of ponytail fallout…
(Image from Emmerson in The Herald)
The Herald today has editorialised suggesting that on the basis of part of a poll Ponygate has had no effect. It also claims that fair minded people are defending Key.
One of these principled statements is not like the other.
Don’t be mean to John!
A quick look at the legalities of Ponytailgate as it affects the worker, the cafe, the NZ Herald and the PM. There could be court, tribunal and commission hearings that drag on for months, with potential big financial and political implications for the players.
It was all a bit of fun. Have we become so casual about harassment?
