Saudi Arabia Admits Killing Khashoggi
Saudi Arabia sensationally fesses up to killing missing journalist Jamal Khashoggi. But it was all his own fault, apparently.
Politics
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Jami-Lee Ross: But Wait, There’s More!
Jami-Lee Ross has twisted the knife a little further into Simon Bridge’s back this arvo, releasing a second tape and announcing he won’t be quitting Parliament. Turns out he may need the income to fund a divorce.
Trademe advertises National List MP position for sale
Some wag on Trademe has advertised National Party list positions for sale.
Two Chinese are more valuable than two Indians
The repercussions of Jami-Lee Ross’s expulsion continue to be felt. Disclosures about complaints regarding Ross’s behaviour are difficult to reconcile with what Bridges and Bennett have said recently. And National’s relationship with ethnic groups has taken a battering.
No smoking gun but plenty of sunlight from Bridges tape
Maybe not a smoking gun, Jami-Lee Ross’s tape recording of Simon Bridges sheds plenty of sunlight on the influence that money can buy within the National Party, casual racism endemic within National, the manipulation of ethnic communities and, most importantly, insights into the wielding of “soft power” by China.
The Jamilee tweets
Jami-Lee Ross has released the tape of his talking with Simon Bridges where the suggestion was made that two Chinese MPs would be more valuable than two Indian MPs. And Melanie Reid has published an article containing the allegations of four women against Ross of inappropriate behaviour.
Mutually assured destruction
Paula Bennett has broken the understanding that MPs do not refer to each other’s private lives. And Jami-Lee Ross has alleged that a $100,000 donation was split so that it did not have to be declared and it has been confirmed that National then nominated the donor for a Queen’s Birthday Honour.
Ross resigns, to lay corrupt practices complaint against Bridges with police
Jamie-Lee Ross will seek to win a by-election as an independent. Says that Simon Bridges is corrupt and unlikeable and that he could prove it. Refutes Simon Bridges claim against him of harassment of women. Said the by-election would be a referendum on Bridges’ leadership. Updated: Simon Bridges responds – what he doesn’t say is more interesting
Jami-Lee Ross Doubles Down; Resigns From Parliament
Jami-Lee Ross is to resign from Parliament amid further claims about unlawful activity from Tory leader Simon Bridges. Ross says he will stand in the Botany by-election. Ross also says he will lay a complaint against Bridges with the Police.
National’s caucus meeting today – nothing to see here
All eyes will be on National’s caucus meeting today. And Simon Bridges will need to explain what Jami-Lee Ross meant when he said that he had recorded a conversation where he was asked by Bridges to break the law.
Civil war breaks out in National’s ranks
Jami-Lee Ross has gone public and announced that he will be blamed for the leaking of Simon Bridges’ travel information and said that he will continue to speak publicly about the issue.
Retail Fuel politics
New Zealand is now getting truckie protests about fuel prices reminiscent of the first term of the Helen Clark government. This is no doubt the start of many protests to come from truckie and consumer alike.
National leaks again
Duncan Garner has this morning revealed further leaked information from within National concerning Simon Bridges’ disastrous polling and indicating that he received a donation from a company with links to the Exclusive Brethren.
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Light rail in Auckland
There has been some push back against the Government’s light rail proposal for Dominion Road from some unlikely sources. But they are concentrating on what is best for airport users, not what is best for the city as a whole.
Simon Bridges is totes relaxed about his leak inquiry
After spending over a hundred thousand dollars on the inquiry into who leaked his travel information Simon Bridges now claims that he is no longer worried about who leaked his travel expense information.
The leak inquiries
Trevor Mallard has shut down one possible conclusion of National’s leak inquiry by conducting his own inquiry into his office which has concluded that the leak of Bridges’ travel information did not come from there.
Shake It Up, Taylor Swift, Shake It Up
There is a long a proud history of musicians adding their weight to the Democratic cause in the United States, but Taylor Swift’s recent action is about as on-message as you can get.
Grant Robertson is a financial genius
Remember the $11.5 billion hole that Stephen Joyce and National said Labour was going to leave the country with? Well the 2017/18 financial books have been completed and released and the Government’s surplus was $2.4 billion greater than forecast.
Do we have cheaper fuel or do we trash the planet?
On the day that the IPCC has confirmed that the world is running out of time to do something to try and preserve what we have National and associated entities have complained that fuel prices are too high.
Petrol, Zero Carbon, and 15,000 Submissions
Get ready, according to the AA, for petrol at $3 a liter for Christmas.
At least Labour wants to save the planet
The Government is consulting on changes to the Crown Minerals (Petroleum) Amendment Bill to prevent further offshore drilling permits being issued. Locally the right are saying it will make things worse. And in the US of A the Trump administration has conceded that out of control climate change is inevitable.
It’s America Again
It would fit the karma of a leftie universe if the United States was now suffering from its political choices. But it’s the reverse: the United States economy is roaring and President Trump is starting to be rewarded for delivering what he promised.
Meanwhile in America …
America has had an interesting week with Kavanaugh’s appointment to the Supreme Court all but confirmed, Donald Trump’s finances being the subject of an intensive review by the New York Times and Trump being filmed boarding Air Force One with a piece of toilet paper stuck to his shoe.
National’s leak inquiry blows up
Newshub has been leaked a copy of an email from Paula Bennett sent to National Party staffers advising that the inquiry into who leaked Simon Bridges’s travel expense information now includes them.
The Taxpayers’ Union’s identity problem
David Fisher in the Herald has reported that the Taxpayer’s Union has used numerous fictitious identities to make Official Information Act requests.
National’s leak problem
National’s leak problem is developing into a full blown crisis as it struggles to deal with the repercussions of Jami-Lee Ross standing down.
Jami-Lee Ross takes time out
Jami-Lee Ross has announced he will be taking time out for personal health reasons.
Ardern is the anti Trump
While the local right have spent the last week nit picking at Jacinda Ardern something significant has happened internationally. Jacinda Ardern has emerged as the western leader who is the antithesis of Donald Trump.
Kiwi values
New Zealand First at its conference on the weekend passed a remit to calling for immigrants and refugees to “respect New Zealand values” which are founded on Christianity.
What the Prime Minister Actually Said – Kindness yes kindness
“I am a child of the 80’s. A period in New Zealand’s history where we didn’t just observe international events, we challenged them. Whether it was apartheid in South Africa, or nuclear testing in the Pacific, I grew up learning about my country and who we were, by the way that we reacted to international events.”
Pretty legal
National has another potential copyright problem involving the use of music without permission.
Is Michelle Boag advising Derek Handley?
Politik has reported that Derek Handley has been receiving PR advice from Michelle Boag.
Jacinda Ardern on the Late Show
Video of Jacinda Ardern on Stephen Colbert’s Late Show.
The Meka leak
The Herald claims to have been leaked a draft copy of the report into Meka Whaitiri. And the indications are that it may have come from a National Party source.
What the Prime Minister actually said
What Jacinda Ardern said to the United Nations about Nelson Mandela on the 100th anniversary of his birth.
Ardern on leadership
Jacinda Ardern is storming New York. In an interview has set out her beliefs on leadership and rebelled against the idea that politics should only be about scoring hits against opponents. National has replied by trying to score political hits against her.