The Standard

politicans

Categories under politicans

ImperatorFish: “I said surface, not surplus”

Written By: - Date published: 2:15 pm, December 17th, 2014 - 7 comments

Scott examines Bill’s likely excuses for failing to deliver something National have promised since 2011

Vance on Key’s “crass opportunism”

Written By: - Date published: 4:01 pm, December 16th, 2014 - 75 comments

key-crass-opportunism

Is Haron Monis a terrorist?

Written By: - Date published: 12:51 pm, December 16th, 2014 - 187 comments

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

Written By: - Date published: 8:27 am, December 16th, 2014 - 89 comments

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

Written By: - Date published: 12:51 pm, December 15th, 2014 - 6 comments

body-key's-christmas

Andrew Little’s adjournment speech

Written By: - Date published: 10:00 am, December 15th, 2014 - 6 comments

Well worth a look.  A straight talker, with a sense of humour, freshness and vigour.

The line on Little…

Written By: - Date published: 8:49 am, December 15th, 2014 - 155 comments

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

Written By: - Date published: 8:16 am, December 15th, 2014 - 12 comments

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

Written By: - Date published: 7:30 am, December 13th, 2014 - 120 comments

The last Roy Morgan poll for the year provides Andrew Little and Labour with welcome news.

‘Ditch the [misleading] rhetoric’

Written By: - Date published: 9:39 am, December 12th, 2014 - 16 comments

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?

Written By: - Date published: 10:45 pm, December 10th, 2014 - 36 comments

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!

Written By: - Date published: 3:11 pm, December 10th, 2014 - 4 comments

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

Written By: - Date published: 12:09 pm, December 10th, 2014 - 16 comments

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

Written By: - Date published: 7:31 pm, December 9th, 2014 - 13 comments

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!

Written By: - Date published: 12:00 pm, December 9th, 2014 - 7 comments

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

Written By: - Date published: 7:41 am, December 9th, 2014 - 76 comments

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

Written By: - Date published: 10:08 am, December 8th, 2014 - 27 comments

Andrew Little grows into his role as Labour leader.

The tipline has a SST column

Written By: - Date published: 8:30 am, December 7th, 2014 - 36 comments

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

Written By: - Date published: 7:11 am, December 7th, 2014 - 25 comments

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

Written By: - Date published: 8:50 am, December 5th, 2014 - 113 comments

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

Written By: - Date published: 7:49 am, December 5th, 2014 - 79 comments

An excellent assessment by Karl du Fresne, honest and direct.

Did you hear the one about the escaped pedophile killer cannibal with ebola?

Written By: - Date published: 9:52 am, December 4th, 2014 - 15 comments

Say – did you hear the one about the escaped pedophile killer cannibal with ebola? John Key reckons its hilarious!

Brownlee catches Key’s thirdtermitis

Written By: - Date published: 8:58 am, December 4th, 2014 - 34 comments

What could possibly have Gerry behaving so erratically?

National’s campaign of false equivalences

Written By: - Date published: 8:23 am, December 4th, 2014 - 102 comments

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

Written By: - Date published: 9:51 pm, December 3rd, 2014 - 28 comments

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.

Is John Key on the skids?

Written By: - Date published: 4:25 pm, December 3rd, 2014 - 85 comments

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.

Distract and Divert

Written By: - Date published: 9:15 am, December 3rd, 2014 - 16 comments

Why do I want to know about Bronagh’s private 30th wedding anniversary gift to John Key? The PM is in trouble and trying to get fluff out to distract from his recent repeated lying, make people think more nicely of him. Presumably his superstitiousness played well in focus groups.

Key calls Slater’s bluff

Written By: - Date published: 11:11 am, December 2nd, 2014 - 54 comments

Key says he is not concerned about his calls with Slater being made public.

Local Bodies: Government Responsible for Invercargill Poverty

Written By: - Date published: 9:00 am, December 2nd, 2014 - 6 comments

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

Written By: - Date published: 8:16 am, December 2nd, 2014 - 34 comments

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

Written By: - Date published: 9:00 am, December 1st, 2014 - 19 comments

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?