Preserving your stake in NZ
As Marty G has pointed out Bill English is looking into killing the tax advantages for investing in housing. Good. But it’s not […]
Social issues
Destroying Auckland city
Yesterday the Auckland Transition Agency (ATA) released its draft structure for the new Auckland council. Fortunately for the staff, and service levels in […]
The slippery standards of Mr Key
Yesterday, John Key cleverly tried to reframe his ministers’ failure to obey his standards on use of perks: “You don’t want 120 Members […]
Code given “top priority†by Minister delayed – pigs continue to suffer
Tonight Campbell Live showed new footage recently shot by animal rights activists on four farms in Ashburton, Greytown, Blenheim and Kumeu. Six months […]
Ashcroft out of Belize into New Zealand?
‘Lord Ashcroft of Belize’ facing eviction as country turns on him. This is the heading in an article in today’s Observer. It’s worth […]
Good Old Fashioned Solidarity
Matt McCarten writes a fine opinion piece in today’s Herald. He hits four main points: 1. The neo-liberal dismantling of NZ’s egalitarian society […]
Ecosexploitation 350
One of the many problems facing people who want to grow popular awareness of matters ecological is that for the large part, it’s […]
Caption Competition
Question
Why on earth is Labour supporting this police state bullshit? The article says Labour MPs were concerned about the extent of powers being […]
Double-talk from Dipton
Here’s what Double-Dipper Bill English had to say about taxpayer-funded advertising before the last election. National has raised fresh concerns about Labour cashing […]
Banks threatens your council services
John ‘in your guts you know he’s nuts’ Banks has isolated himself out to the right of Rodney Hide when it comes to […]
The farmer and his bloody cock
From the NZ Sound Archives‘ weekly feature comes a story involving a farmer, a lack of clothes, a barrel of molasses (treacle-like substance), […]
John Key, Edication Espert
Well what a fiasco yesterday’s launch of National’s brave new $36 million education policy was. Despite Key claiming the plan was one of […]
Signs of Labour Weekend
Spotted in a shop window. Says it all really about what this weekend is for.
National/Citrats abandon Tamaki-Maungakiekie
Last night C&R councillor and National Party MP Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga ended his double-dipping charade and quit the Auckland City Council. By way […]
Farrar right on electoral administration
I agree with David Farrar on the National Party’s proposed law combining the Electoral offices. These appointments are far too important to be […]
Selling off your heritage
Picture this scene from times past: Deep in the South Island high country an old sheep musterer with windswept face wakes up to […]
Recalling John Banks
John ‘barking mad’ Banks’ cheerleader WhaleOil has called for Rodney Hide to introduce the power of recall into the legislation for the new […]
Fart tax Mk II – they fart we pay
I’ve thought for some time that some of the best political writing in the Herald is to be found on the business pages. […]
ACC deja vous
Here we go again. July 1st 1999 and Prime Minister Jenny Shipley opens ACC to competition. I’d forgotten it was one of the […]
Chopper chops science education
National’s Anne Tolley, our education minister who thought that taking a ‘helicopter view’ of something meant taking a ride in a chopper, is […]
What really wins elections
Govt tax advisor told Westpac how to cheat on taxes
John Shewan is a member of the Government’s Tax Working Group. A decade ago he was advising Westpac what minimal amount of tax […]
Clueless on ACE
Night classes Adult and Community Education (ACE). An incredibly cost effective and valuable part of the NZ education sector for decades. The ACE […]
John Key at CTU conference
Heard over the lunch time news that John Key was the keynote (oh how he must never tire of that) speaker at the […]
Reminder: Drinking Liberally – Auckland
Drinking Liberally is returning to the London Bar for a session with Greenpeace Executive Director Bunny McDiarmid. When: 7pm WEDNESDAY 21 October Where: […]
Another broken promise
Before the election National made promises about extra resources to tackle problems in schools: Schools Policy Strengthening the Ladder of Opportunity National is […]
Talk about politics
On RNZ’s Nine to Noon today Andrew Campbell rips the shit out of National‘s grotesque mismanagement of the Rugby World Cup fiasco and […]
DL Wellington – Celia Wade-Brown
Wellington’s Drinking Liberally speaker is Celia Wade-Brown. Celia is a sitting Green member of the Wellington City Council, and one of the first announced […]
Kicking the tyres at ACC
The Sunday Star-Times details hitherto secret proposals from the John Judge-chaired ACC to cut back entitlements and increase user-pays. The hidden agenda: Introduce […]
Reflections on Aisling
Two readers offer their reflections on our collective reaction to the Aisling Symes tragedy: The Best of Us, The Worst of Us, revealed […]
Yeah, but who are the criminals?
I think I might have joined the dots in what it is that is causing me such unease about the arrival of Crime […]
Banks panic
Len Brown seems to have the Right in a bit of panic. Remuera Mayor John ‘in your guts you know he’s nuts’ Banks […]
Intergenerational theft
I had a free education. Most of the politicians in this and recent parliaments had a free education. More recent students have not […]
Afghanistan election result crisis
The Guardian reports today under the headline “Crisis looms in Kabul over Karzai election results:” Frantic diplomacy under way as report looks set […]
Crimestoppers!
I’ve been meaning to post on the emergence of Crimestoppers in New Zealand for a few days now. While some might say it’s […]