Written By: - Date published: 7:30 pm, June 22nd, 2015 - 113 comments
The Conservative Party’s Colin Craig has victimised his former Press Secretary by deliberately breaching a confidentiality settlement in order to frame his inappropriate behaviour as a minor matter they were both equally responsible for. Well, that’s crap, Colin. It’s actually a rich man using his power and privilege to belittle a woman. Again.
Written By: - Date published: 2:36 pm, June 21st, 2015 - 54 comments
I/S at No Right Turn. The un-redacted Cabinet papers show that Key flat out lied when he tried to implicate Labour in the Saudi sheep scandal.
Written By: - Date published: 2:40 pm, June 19th, 2015 - 40 comments
The Conservatives have called a press conference this afternoon and it appears that Colin Craig’s tenure as leader may be terminated. But will he be back?
Written By: - Date published: 8:19 am, June 19th, 2015 - 25 comments
Donald Trump has attracted adverse comment for using Neil Young’s song “keep on rocking in the free world” during his campaign launch. There are a number of other examples, both local and in the US, where right wing candidates have misappropriated progressive musicians’ music for campaign purposes.
Written By: - Date published: 6:22 pm, June 18th, 2015 - 35 comments
According to 3 News Colin Craig is to be rolled as leader of the Conservatives. Hard to imagine, as Colin Craig is the Conservatives.
Written By: - Date published: 8:26 am, June 18th, 2015 - 18 comments
The Sheepgate cabinet papers have now been released and show no sign of a legal dispute between the Saudi Sheep farmer and the Government, let alone one that required a payment of $4 million dollars. And there are concerning reports that three quarters of the ewes on the “model farm” have died.
Written By: - Date published: 7:59 am, June 16th, 2015 - 20 comments
The Herald has reported that, contrary to John Key’s assurances that the Government did not have to do so, one of the pieces of land set aside for the Government’s affordable housing partnership with private developers has already been offered to iwi under right of first refusal.
Written By: - Date published: 12:17 pm, June 15th, 2015 - 30 comments
It is looking likely that the Australian Government has broken its own laws and international treaties by paying off people smugglers. Did John Key know? Did he approve of what may be criminal activity?
Written By: - Date published: 9:00 am, June 14th, 2015 - 45 comments
The death of Emma-Lita Bourne is not just a personal tragedy for the family: it is an event that should make New Zealand angry with the powerful people in our society who control the purse strings. They are responsible for condemning thousands of children to life-threatening conditions. And they are doing it in our name!
Written By: - Date published: 3:00 pm, June 13th, 2015 - 123 comments
A few stories of recent weeks which show exactly what kind of government we have.
Written By: - Date published: 7:11 am, June 12th, 2015 - 87 comments
Bravo to those “big business” leaders who have come out in support of strong universal health and safety legislation. Shame on the Collins faction in Cabinet who are fighting to water it down.
Written By: - Date published: 1:51 pm, June 11th, 2015 - 48 comments
National is appearing to be changing tack and trying to now blame a junior official rather than the Labour Party for the failure to complete the Gulf Free Trade Agreement. And the promised release of the relevant cabinet papers proving it was all Labour’s fault has still not occurred.
Written By: - Date published: 8:50 am, June 9th, 2015 - 19 comments
Relationships Aotearoa is closing its doors today, as a result of ineptitude and indifference on the part of the Government. Claimed safeguards are looking incredibly shaky. Only three of the five organisations touted to take up the work are prepared to do so. And MSD has caused upset to the Privacy Commissioner by misrepresenting his views.
Written By: - Date published: 11:21 am, June 8th, 2015 - 104 comments
Andrew Little on the latest round of dirty politics.
“It beggars belief any politician – like John Key and Judith Collins – wants to have anything to do with him [Cameron Slater].”
Written By: - Date published: 11:51 am, June 4th, 2015 - 43 comments
John Key yesterday went on the attack and implied that Labour did something about Sheepgate in 2007. What it was he did not say but the implication was that Labour did it too. A brief review of dirty politics shows that this is alway’s National’s desperate last line of defence. Update: Labour tried to table in Parliament the Cabinet Paper that John Key talked about yesterday and National refused leave …
Written By: - Date published: 9:12 am, June 4th, 2015 - 96 comments
Even an anonymous editorial in The Herald supports The Greens’ proposal for discussions with National on climate change. Key needs to acknowledge the facts, get some guts, and stop playing politics with the issue.
Written By: - Date published: 8:33 am, June 3rd, 2015 - 20 comments
The media have joined opposition demands that Murray McCully’s actions in relation to sheepgate are investigated. If John Key really expects high standards from his ministers this is the least that should be done. Update: And a claimed “independent audit” of the tender process was conducted by none other than MFAT.
Written By: - Date published: 7:39 pm, June 2nd, 2015 - 98 comments
New Reid Research poll; National, Key tank. Opposition parties nudge 50%. Little, Peters rise in preferred PM. Taxi for Mr Key?
Written By: - Date published: 10:40 am, June 2nd, 2015 - 61 comments
New Greens co-leader James Shaw on: climate change, ruling out coalition with National, creeping crony capitalism, and more…
Written By: - Date published: 9:15 am, June 1st, 2015 - 92 comments
One News has reported that the Government is on the verge of introducing Social Bonds whereby investors in social services will be rewarded if targets are met.
Written By: - Date published: 8:16 am, June 1st, 2015 - 129 comments
The Queens Birthday Honours List has been announced with Peter Talley’s contribution to philanthropy being rewarded with appointment as a Knights Companion.
Written By: - Date published: 9:12 am, May 31st, 2015 - 199 comments
Some thoughts on how Labour and the Greens need to manage relations in the hope that they can form a future progressive Government.
Written By: - Date published: 10:20 am, May 30th, 2015 - 58 comments
So why was Maurice dancing with ACT? Why was Borrows bullshitting about bikes? Does Judith Collins sleep with a copy of the Art of War under her pillow? I don’t know, but I think we should be told.
Written By: - Date published: 9:00 am, May 30th, 2015 - 5 comments
The Green Party are livestreaming parts of their annual conference today, including the announcement of their new male co-leader at 2pm.
Written By: - Date published: 8:36 am, May 29th, 2015 - 38 comments
The legal suit offered as part justification for the Government paying $11 million to a Saudi businessman was apparently “off the table” at the time that Cabinet agreed to the payment. So why was the payment made? And why didn’t Murray McCully tell this to Cabinet or to Parliament earlier?
Written By: - Date published: 3:22 pm, May 27th, 2015 - 331 comments
Hardly a comprehensive take, but in the interest of stating some obvious stuff…
Written By: - Date published: 8:25 am, May 27th, 2015 - 101 comments
Sky City has managed to persuade the Government to allow it to build a cheaper building while retaining the same valuable gambling regulatory concessions. Update: and the Government appears to have made further contractual concessions to Sky City.
Written By: - Date published: 9:31 am, May 25th, 2015 - 197 comments
National has again refused to consider doing anything about the future of Superannuation. Yet its policies of increasing Crown debt, stopping contributions to the Cullen Fund and attacking Kiwisaver have made a discussion about the future of superannuation more important than ever.
Written By: - Date published: 9:24 am, May 24th, 2015 - 60 comments
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.
Written By: - Date published: 7:04 am, May 24th, 2015 - 71 comments
Anyone remember departure tax?
Written By: - Date published: 4:27 pm, May 23rd, 2015 - 23 comments
The Standard was mentioned on Back Benchers last night by Crusher Collins. From her comments it looks like we are doing our job properly.
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