Will National agree to make Peters PM?
Just a little thought experiment.
Politics
politicans
Let them eat cake
“Our Plan to Change the Government”
The Green Party conference is on this weekend, with keynote speeches from Andrew Little and James Shaw on changing the government, and a centrepiece environmental campaign launch from Metiria Turei.
Salvation Army contradicts Key’s homelessness claims
Remember Key saying yesterday that the MSD and the Salvation Army knocked on the doors of eight cars that people were living in and no one wanted their help? The Salvation Army says nothing of the sort happened.
Strategic Arse Elbow
Today at about the same time the Government will turn the first sod of the city rail link and then announce more urban sprawl for Auckland. This is the most massive policy and programme contradiction in a lifetime.
Stick a Fork in Him, He’s Dunne
The Labour/Greens electoral pact spells the end of the line for Parliament’s most self serving MP, Peter Dunne. National have a choice to make; stand down in Ohariu or stab him in the back. And then there’s the equally supine Maori party. Te Ururoa Flavell’s hold on his seat is also shaky. No Flavell, no Maori Party.
No Mates National. The Brighter Future just arrived!
Key’s housing plan “moronic”
It isn’t often that you here such a blunt assessment of Nat policy. It’s moronic because it isn’t a housing policy at all, it’s a blame deflecting plan.
Why is it that?
Why is it that elements of the media always claim that any sort of cooperation between Labour and the Greens will be disastrous for both parties?
Labour builds the houses (yet another Key lie)
Good work fact-checking by Geoff Simmons at the Morgan Foundation. Contrary to Key’s lie, Labour builds more houses than National.
Fine for fox to guard henhouse – says fox
The Nats are happy for the fishing industry to effectively self-monitor, despite the fact that this has already been shown to be massively ineffective. In other news: John Key questioned on National’s closeness to fishing industry.
Auckland’s housing crisis is just like Christchurch’s except …
Steven Joyce has claimed that Auckland’s housing crisis is like Christchurch’s. Has Auckland recently had two disastrous earthquakes?
Screw democracy – Auckland to get the Canterbury treatment
It’s naked panic now. In response to the crisis that isn’t a crisis Key is going to overrule the council that his government created and screw over Auckland democracy just like he screwed over Canterbury. What do you think of that Aucklanders?
Key’s powerful speech on the urgent housing crisis
John Key has given a powerful speech on NZ’s housing crisis: “This is an issue that should concern all New Zealanders. It threatens a fundamental part of our culture, it threatens our communities and, ultimately, it threatens our economy.”
John Key used to be ambitious about dealing with poverty in New Zealand
- A read of John Key’s state of the nation speech from 2007 suggests that he was really ambitious to do something for the poor in New Zealand. And something weird is happening to his speeches on his website. They are disappearing.
Bennett’s housing “announcement” is a re-announcement and a lie
Paula Bennett’s “big” housing “announcement” today is a re-announcement with a twist of lie.
Newshub poll – Key’s government has failed on housing
Quite apart from falling to his lowest level ever as preferred PM, the Newshub poll had more bad news for King John.
Bennett admits she was wrong
Paula Bennett has basically apologised to Parliament for claiming that National would create 3,000 new social housing beds when all that it was doing is funding existing beds to make sure they did not disappear.
Newshub poll – Key falls to lowest popularity
Latest Newshub poll shows little change in the party standings and Winston still kingmaker. It also shows that Key “plummets” to his lowest level ever.
Another strong piece from Little
Andrew Little had an excellent piece in The Herald yesterday: “It’s always about choices, and National has made some terrible ones”.
Grant Robertson’s pre-budget speech
Grant Robertson has just delivered his pre-budget speech. One takeaway message: “Labour’s finance spokesman Grant Robertson says Labour will set out a tax package before the 2017 election to set out how it will raise revenue to address issues in education, health and housing”.
Little’s $50 a week message getting through
A great reception for Little’s speech, and a take-home message that resonates well.
Andrew Little’s pre-budget speech
“If there is one thing I am clear on it is this: the next Labour government will not tolerate poverty in New Zealand in the 21st century.”
All aboard the charter schools gravy train
Charter schools are pretty nice work if you can get it, no wonder groups are lining up. But there’s no evidence that they are good for education.
In the middle of a housing crisis Housing Corp is selling state houses
John Campbell is covering the homeless crisis with stories that highlight the personal tragedies that are occurring and the complete indifference of the Government to their plight.
Incoherent, unfair and unaccountable
That is how officials from the Ministry of Social Development described the emergency housing system to Social Housing Minister Paula Bennett – a year ago. What has Bennett done in the year since?
We’re going to burn it all, until we burn it down.
What does it really mean to reduce NZ’s total fossil fuel use by 50% by 2030: a warm up discussion for an upcoming thought experiment.
Vernon Small on Key’s fiscal Tardis
Small: “Only this week Prime Minister John Key managed to spend one, save it and outline a plan to give it back to taxpayers all at the same time.”
Labour would legalise medical cannabis
On Stuff: “Little said cannabis products should be available to anyone suffering chronic pain or a terminal condition if their GP signed off on it.”
Government’s plan for housing crisis: tread water
The Government’s promised funding for 3,000 new beds for the homeless will not create any but will make sure that existing beds are kept available.
Andrew Little live chat 8:30am
“Join Stuff on Facebook at 8:30am Wednesday for a live chat with the leader of the Labour Party”
Tax cuts! No! Yes! Maybe! Look over there!
English is right, Key is lying and he knows it. But Key would rather we were talking about the mirage of tax cuts (again) than current events like the protection of corrupt tax havens or our homeless living in cars.
We have to have poverty so we can have a tax cut
Despite record Crown debt and a crisis in the social sector National is getting ready to campaign in 2017 promising a tax cut.
The real reason that politicians will take no action on tax haven corruption
Matthew Hooton and the Radio New Zealand post
Radio New Zealand recently published a piece penned by well known supporter of the right Matthew Hooton. What has happened to the concept of balance?
Take action on tax haven corruption? NZ says – meh
The Nats are all over the place on this, and they’re trashing our reputation in the process.
Fixing the tax haven – what’s the downside?
Fixing our tax haven loopholes is easy but Key won’t act. Why?