Written By: - Date published: 9:18 am, March 26th, 2022 - 65 comments
This has not had the media attention that it deserves but Act has raised, to use the technical term, a shit load of money recently. And it is using this money to engage in some good old fashioned racist dog whistling.
Written By: - Date published: 5:43 pm, March 25th, 2022 - 118 comments
Can Labour win a third term? Here are some pathways up, and some pathways down.
Written By: - Date published: 7:50 am, March 24th, 2022 - 172 comments
Pressure for a Ukraine war settlement starting with a ceasefire will continue to mount. If this does drag out, there’s more chance of the conflict widening. Belarus could attack. NATO-allied supply convoys could be attacked. I’m trying not to go further. As with all major wars since Vietnam, the media frenzy puts the highest cost […]
Written By: - Date published: 11:52 am, March 23rd, 2022 - 218 comments
The Government has announced changes to Covid policies relating to traffic light settings and mandates.
Written By: - Date published: 11:38 am, March 22nd, 2022 - 81 comments
Chris Luxon has admitted in National media that provision of assistance to the poor is “bottom feeding”.
Written By: - Date published: 8:00 am, March 22nd, 2022 - 88 comments
There is only so much New Zealand and its government can do to soften the blows of the instability that are besetting the world. And the problem is without dramatic change New Zealand will remain one of the most car-addicted, petrol reliant societies on earth for several decades to come.
Written By: - Date published: 9:07 am, March 21st, 2022 - 34 comments
A slightly deeper review of National’s response to the Covid epidemic over the past two years. The overwhelming impression is that they have always complained about supposed Government incompetence in handling the pandemic and have always argued for the loosening of restrictions no matter how justifiable.
Written By: - Date published: 4:32 pm, March 20th, 2022 - 194 comments
New Zealand’s sanctions on Russia have not stopped the war in Ukraine. They may have made our parliamentarians feel better, and Tony Blinken was quick to congratulate us on falling into line with the US “high-impact sanctions.” The language is combative, but the evidence shows sanctions do not work. They can have significant blow-back effects, particularly if not combined with effective diplomacy.
Written By: - Date published: 7:00 am, March 17th, 2022 - 351 comments
Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelinsky has made a direct appeal broadcast to the United States Congress. That will sort out the Putin supporters from the rest. And with climate change beckoning it is time to pick a side.
Written By: - Date published: 7:55 am, March 16th, 2022 - 67 comments
By elections are at the best of times dramatic events. Given current circumstances and a well funded although deeply unpopular anti vaccine movement and the likely candidacy of Winston Peters the Tauranga by election is likely to be a circus.
Written By: - Date published: 12:13 pm, March 15th, 2022 - 40 comments
Simon Bridges has just announced that he is retiring from politics.
Written By: - Date published: 8:11 am, March 13th, 2022 - 125 comments
To help the poorest amongst us during the current times of International hyper inflation National has come up with a list of tips to help them. But no money.
Written By: - Date published: 6:05 am, March 11th, 2022 - 98 comments
Chloe Swarbrick, the cost of living crisis, and what the economy is for.
Written By: - Date published: 8:14 am, March 7th, 2022 - 107 comments
National has proposed to reverse all tax changes implemented by Labour and claims that the cuts can be managed without damage to the state. But the figure it uses, $1.7 billion a year, includes income tax adjustments only and not the cost of the removal of other taxes.
Written By: - Date published: 7:51 am, March 6th, 2022 - 85 comments
Chris Luxon’s public commitment not to negotiate with the Wellington protestors has been called into question by a Facebook from Maureen Pugh claiming that members of the National Party were talking to the protesters on an almost daily basis.
Written By: - Date published: 8:10 am, March 4th, 2022 - 239 comments
Wellington protestors recent activities in torching a 100 year old Pohutukawa, burning a kid’s playground and threatening to occupy Wainuiomata Marae suggests they are being given PR advice by Vladimir Putin.
Written By: - Date published: 7:30 am, March 1st, 2022 - 18 comments
We will probably never get over the feeling that somehow, if enough people just banded together, it would all get better again, like we did when the United Nations charter was struck.
Written By: - Date published: 1:35 pm, February 23rd, 2022 - 66 comments
Efeso Collins has announced his first Mayoral campaign policy and it is a biggie, free public transport for Auckland.
Written By: - Date published: 8:46 am, February 22nd, 2022 - 134 comments
Jacinda Ardern said yesterday that everyone is over Covid. She is right. We all want this to end.
Written By: - Date published: 8:17 am, February 21st, 2022 - 277 comments
There is something of a manufactured chorus of calls for the Government to sit down and negotiate with the protesters. Here are four reasons why negotiations would be a complete waste of time.
Written By: - Date published: 10:00 am, February 15th, 2022 - 6 comments
Some thoughts on the contribution of Phil Goff to Auckland during his term as Mayor.
Written By: - Date published: 11:04 am, February 14th, 2022 - 52 comments
Phil Goff has announced that he will not seek re-election as Auckland’s Mayor.
Written By: - Date published: 10:56 am, February 13th, 2022 - 34 comments
Where will the votes come from to get Labour a third term?
Written By: - Date published: 10:05 am, February 13th, 2022 - 131 comments
Complaints that the police are unnecessarily interfering with the Wellington Convoy’s right to protest appear to be vastly overstated.
Written By: - Date published: 12:55 pm, February 9th, 2022 - 24 comments
Roche, a major manufacturer of RATs, issued a statement to media on Tuesday night saying none of its stocks had been diverted or seized by the Government.
“RAT kits have been, and will continue to be, supplied to all New Zealand customers, including the Ministry of Health, in the sequence that purchase orders were placed,”. Chris Bishop MP is still claiming mythical evidence from local suppliers.
Written By: - Date published: 12:27 pm, February 9th, 2022 - 33 comments
The full text is worth perusing across multiple areas, but Prime Minister Ardern’s speech in Parliament yesterday gave useful hints about how the economy and climate change are being integrated into a single economic strategy.
Written By: - Date published: 10:08 pm, February 7th, 2022 - 93 comments
I am going to channel my Matthew Hooton left wing alter ego in the writing of this post. The latest Newshub poll shows a resounding level of support for the Labour Party and there are murmurs of discontent about Chris Luxon after support for the right plummets.
Written By: - Date published: 11:00 am, February 7th, 2022 - 133 comments
NZME owned entities including the Herald and Newstalk ZB appear to be on a mission to change the Government.
Written By: - Date published: 1:10 pm, February 6th, 2022 - 34 comments
The text of Prime Minister Jacinta Ardern’s Waitangi Day speech
Written By: - Date published: 12:35 pm, February 4th, 2022 - 306 comments
David Seymour has responded to slumping poll results by claiming that the Treaty of Waitangi should be trashed.
Written By: - Date published: 3:42 pm, February 3rd, 2022 - 45 comments
With Prime Minister announcing effectively the beginning of the end of state control of COVID, the question that has to be asked is how will the end of COVID change us all?
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