Future shock
Yesterday, my comrade Zetetic wrote that despite all the bad stuff in the Budget there was still a “meta-victory” for the Left because […]
Social issues
Caption Competition
Quote competition
So, in the light of yesterday’s budget, I propose a quote competition. Post your favourite Nat quotes! We could start with two categories. […]
The battle and the war
It’s a bleak budget alright. No jobs package. That’s scandalous dereliction of duty. The 70,000-100,000 people who will loss their jobs this year […]
The Dishonest Budget
Thanks to a reader, here’s Phil Goff’s speech in reply to the Budget. Looks like they’ve ripped the Herald’s version, so for the […]
No great expectations, but what a bleak house
Listening to Bill English’s budget speech, I was reminded of Dickens’ description of Scrooge: “The cold within him froze his features, nipped his pointed […]
No credit rating upgrade
Journalists around the country seem to think (even the learned ones) that the budget has brought about a credit ratings upgrade. Not true. […]
No super contributions = worse net debt
I’ve had a dig into Treasury’s numbers and worked out that they expect the Superannuation Fund will make a 13% return next year, […]
Mission accomplished
John Key famously said “we would love to see wages drop“. It sure didn’t take him long in government to see his ambition achieved. […]
Bleak and bleaker
Treasury’s main forecasts for the economy have worsened significantly since December: Nothing for jobs in the Budget. Tens of thousands more on the […]
The black budget report
This post will be updated by the Standardistas as the details of the Budget come out. If you have special knowledge of a […]
Drinking Liberally Wgtn – tonight
Apologies for the late notice – Drinking Liberally Wellington is on tonight with guest Rob Salmond. Usual time, usual place. From the Facebook […]
The Debt Bogey Returns
Seems this op-ed was off-message for one of our larger media outlets, we’re happy to run it: _______________________________________ Alan Blinder, Professor of Public […]
Broken promises
National have already broken lots of pre-election promises and policies. Their policy to consult on local government and Auckland has been contemptuously ignored. […]
If everything goes well..
Good politics is meeting or exceeding expectations. Good spin is setting expectations. Key and English have put a lot of effort into setting […]
English and Key uncertain of Budget’s focus
If there was ever a phrase that this Government keeps reminding me of, it’s “couldn’t organize a piss-up in a brewery”. Today, on […]
Budget previews: the good, the bad, and the ugly
As well as the usual pre-Budget announcements there have been a number of leaks. A quick review: Good Home insulation package: this is […]
What we need in the Budget
We need to keep paying into the Superannuation Fund. Never heard anything so dumb as the idea of stopping making payments right now. […]
Minima
One of the oldest tricks in the book for a government that’s cutting public services is to say ‘we’re not cutting, we’re spending […]
Vote Yes slideshow
Referendum 2009 – Unicef NZ The Vote Yes campaign is about preserving s59 of the Cirmes Act, which gives children the same right […]
Pigs
It’s good to see Green MP Sue Kedgley calling on John Key to personally fix the abuse of pigs in sow crates. The […]
Minister of Agriculture misled the public
It seems the Minister of Agriculture David Carter misled the public regarding his knowledge of the use of sow crates in pig farming, […]
Crusher crushes rights
Collins has given us a little teaser of what’s in her car-crushing law. As any fool could have predicted the fascist in her […]
Abolishing equity
National has belatedly woken up to the fact that not all Kiwis are middle aged white males, and has been trying to make […]
The credit rating bogeyman
It’s pretty clear how Key and English plan to spin their budget. They will use the bogeyman of a credit rating downgrade to […]
Up the Government’s sleeve
National may be talking down the budget, but there have been hints coming out of Wellington that suggest the government will announce a […]
The egalitarian dream
It’s like a boomer epiphany. About 25 years too late.
Less firing, more hiring
The Herald reports today that TVNZ fired 90 employees following a letter from Broadcasting Minister Johnathan Coleman demanding that it raise its profitability. […]
“Confusing and might be taken the wrong way by some”
Duncan Garner had to do a balance piece against David Shearer because he has been at the forefront of covering the implosion of […]
The Pork industry, circa 1860
Your Views hits new low
The Herald is currently asking its readers: “Is a conviction appropriate for punching a child?” Seriously, what the hell is wrong at the […]
The second time as farce
History repeats they say. Isn’t it starting to feel like the 1990s all over again? We’ve got a National government facing a grim […]
Pork Board engages in doublespeak
Chair of the NZ Pork Industry Board Chris Trengrove told Campbell Live last night, “The industry is changing and has been changing since […]
‘Punch in the face’ dad guilty
What’s wrong with The Herald? Their articles Jimmy Mason on the father who punched his child in the face – and pulled him […]
Berating the Herald
from Beck Vass: “With an average jury trial taking at least 12 months, and judge-alone trials taking just six months [that’s actually from […]
Carter’s attack on SAFE a diversion
So, Agriculture Minister David Carter finally creaks into action on the brutal and inhumane treatment of factory farmed pigs, then spends most of […]