Steady on
Starring John Key as Winston Churchill.
Politics
politicans
‘The future will be green or not at all’
Yesterday, on Outspoken at RNZ, Craig McCulloch interviewed Jeanette Fitzsimons, Gareth Morgan and Metiria Turei on the future of the Green Party. Morgan wants the Greens to shift away from “scary” economic policies. Turei and Fitzsimons explain why not.
Songs for the New Year – summertime!
Happy New Year! Some songs for the times.
National knew about Sabin allegations since before the election
The Sunday Star Times has revealed today that the inquiry into Mike Sabin started before the last election and that senior National figures knew about it. And it appears that two private members bills he drafted have disappeared. The questions has to be asked, why is he still the chair of Parliament’s Law and Order committee. And when did John Key find out about the allegations?
If the voice fits….?
Politics has traditionally been men’s business. Gradually women have come to be given more space in this sphere of public activity. However, there are still strains of traditional masculine values evident in political activity, organisation and debate. How much does Key trade in
bloke-iness?
The Government wishes Andrea Vance a very merry Christmas
On the eve of Christmas in a cynical attempt to avoid political damage the Government has apologised to Andrea Vance for breaching her rights of privacy in 2013 after requiring Parliamentary Services to hand over her metadata and attempting to cover up the exercise.
The Sky City Convention Centre
Sky City is doing what Rio Tinto and Warner Brothers have done in the past. Threaten to walk away from a deal unless the Government writes you a big cheque …
Thumbs down for Joyce’s ministerial domain
A new report shows that Steven Joyce’s MBIE fiefdom is failing miserably. Meanwhile the MBIE is under fire for the major cost blow out of the Sky City Casino deal – another deal with Joyce’s imprints all over it.
Mike Sabin is in trouble
Northland MP Mike Sabin is facing a police enquiry and a by election is possible.
Why wasn’t Brownlee sacked?
The Civil Aviation Authority report into Gerry Brownlee’s breach of security at Christchurch Airport has now been released albeit in a heavily redacted form. The report contradicts Brownlee’s claim that the door was opened for him by a Security Officer and that the officer consented to his use of the security area. Why was the release of the report delayed? And why wasn’t Brownlee sacked as a Minister?
On the economy and tax cut bribes
National are not responsible for the eventual recovery, they are responsible for delaying it.
ImperatorFish: “I said surface, not surplus”
Scott examines Bill’s likely excuses for failing to deliver something National have promised since 2011
Vance on Key’s “crass opportunism”
Is Haron Monis a terrorist?
Would John Key be making reference to terror attacks if Haron Monis was not from the Middle East? Our PM has a track record of jumping the gun on sensitive international issues…
Lone nutters and suicide by cop
As anticipated, the Sydney cafe siege was caused by a lone nutter with a dubious history. He committed suicide by cop apparently after killing a hostage. Meanwhile we have had opportunistic jerkoffs like National MP Mark Mitchell displaying their paranoid fantasies (probably as urine dribbles down their leg) to justify recent poorly written and rushed legislation.
Body: John’s Christmas wishlist
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?
Latest Roy Morgan Poll
The last Roy Morgan poll for the year provides Andrew Little and Labour with welcome news.
‘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.
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!
Denying the truth no way to run a country
Right-wingers recently got all hot and bothered about the idea of “recall elections”. Perhaps we do need them, not for the scandal of a Mayor having a bathroom, but for governments that systematically and cynically deny the truth, to the detriment of us all.
Organising to win
Labor’s win in the recent Victorian state election was historic – the first time a one-term government had been turned out for more than 60 years. It was also a fantastic example of how organisation can win elections. Labor leader Daniel Andrews’ focus was on having 5500 active volunteers behind him.
Teapot tapes released!
As the matter seems to be heading for trial now is a good time for the audio from the teapot tapes to be released.
Ambrose to sue Key
Key is carrying plenty of baggage now. Haunted not only by dirty politics, but also the scandal of the election before, the teapot tapes.
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.
Police neutrality
If anyone thought that David Parker was content to fade quietly into obscurity, they been proven thoroughly wrong. Parker has confronted one of politics’ sacred cows – police neutrality.
du Fresne: Stop bullshitting us, prime minister
An excellent assessment by Karl du Fresne, honest and direct.
Did you hear the one about the escaped pedophile killer cannibal with ebola?
Say – did you hear the one about the escaped pedophile killer cannibal with ebola? John Key reckons its hilarious!
Brownlee catches Key’s thirdtermitis
What could possibly have Gerry behaving so erratically?
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.
Prove It
So John Key reckons the decile 1 & 2 principals he talks to say that hardly any kids at their school need lunch. Campbell Live & Kids Can seem to only find school principals who say that lots of kids need lunch. So maybe John Key can name these mythical decile 1 & 2 schools that are doing so well. And then when he gets shown up again, maybe National can move to support Hone’s Food in Schools Bill.