Centrist? Bullshit.
The Herald has the scoop that National is looking to privatise New Zealand’s prison system. Add David Garrett’s savage three strikes law and […]
Social issues
ACT’s dodgy backroom deals?
This is interesting. From the Greens’ Metiria Turei: Last night on TVNZ7’s political show Backbenches, Rodney Hide commented that ACT had supported the […]
National’s newspeak
When he’s not hard at work protecting the profits of tobacco giants by helping them peddle smokes to your kids, Ryall’s having a […]
National’s ambition for your kids: a pie and a fag
Last month Anne Tolley ditched the requirement that schools sell healthy food to kids. Not to be outdone, minister for tobacco Tony Ryall […]
Speculation laffs
“Not a good look”
I have to agree with Idiot/Savant on the Graham Thomas issue. The idea that there is no written information on the matter is […]
Beneath the headlines – complete sentences
The issue of parole has long been controversial. We’ve also seen one of the core underpinings of our justice system become a manipulated […]
Buyer’s remorse
It’s well known that David Garrett is only in Parliament as ACT’s payoff for their support from the Sensible Sentencing Trust. I’m guessing […]
DL Christchurch, change of speaker, plus other DL events
Labour leader Phil Goff will now be speaking at DL Christchurch this Thursday. Therese Arsenau has moved to a later date. When: 7pm, March […]
The Mad Hatter’s Job Summit
There was a conference going on in the south of the city, and the Prime Minister, the Cheshire Fat Cat, and his cronies […]
Pragmatically, the tax changes need to go
The debate around whether we should go through with National’s tax adjustments (they’re only cuts for the rich, they’re increases for middle and […]
Launch of DL – Dunedin
I’ve just got an email on the launch of the Drinking Liberally chapter in Dunedin: Come raise your spirits as you raise a […]
Electives
If the 20 new elective surgery theatres Health Minister Tony Ryall has announced were going to be funded with new money, I would […]
Brian Easton’s DL talk now online
For those of you who missed Brian Easton’s recent talk on the recession at Drinking Liberally Wgtn (or just couldn’t hear over the […]
Act MP caught out
Rethinking Crime and Punishment Director, Kim Workman, has caught Act MP David Garrett being less than honest about how many extra prisoners his […]
Tax cuts no help for those worse off
According to RNZ: Official papers confirm low income families will be worse off under the National Government’s tax cut package, compared with Labour’s. […]
Good Copy Bad Copy (repost)
I posted on this in the early days of The Standard but now might be a good time to check it out if […]
DL Wellington with Grant Robertson
Under Patrick’s iron fist, things seem much more organised with DL Wellington. For just about the first time ever, there will be a […]
Education lesson from UK
Last year we saw how unpopular National’s “national testing” policy was going to be. Now a major study in the UK is highly […]
Web/community
I spent a very fruitful day at webstock in Wellington today listening to some heavy hitters from the US and UK talk about […]
Standing up for landlordism
So, National has decided to scrap a raft of tenant protections proposed by the last Labour Government and tilt the deck back in […]
Tories bulldoze human rights, your rights
The Attorney-General, National’s Chris Finalyson, has declared that the ‘3 strikes and you’re out’ Bill that National/ACT (and Finlayson himself) are about to vote […]
DL Christchurch with Therese Arsenau
Drinking Liberally Christchurch has its first meeting of the new year on March 5, with political commentator and academic Therese Arsenau to speak. […]
On ACT’s three strikes policy
ACT’s infamous three-strikes-and-you’re-out policy will get a first airing in the House tomorrow when the Sentencing and Parole Reform Bill is introduced. Violent […]
Ryall sacks DHB Chair
Health Minister Tony Ryall’s decision to sack Richard Thompson as Chairman of the Otago District Health Board on the grounds of historical fraud […]
Boots and all
Tracey Watkins reports that National has announced details of its Boot Camps policy: “The military-style camp programme would target the 40 most serious […]
Sold out
According to the Dom Post Judith Collins is preparing legislation to reintroduce private prisons into New Zealand’s corrections system. The arguments against privatisation […]
Culpae poenae par esto
I just want to second Tane’s comments regarding the sentence for the killer of Pihema Cameron. A 12 year old Maori child acts as […]
Institutional racism
Bruce Emery’s sentence of just four years and three months on a reduced charge of manslaughter for chasing 15 year old Pihema Cameron […]
Left to the market
Two Pennsylvania Judges have been accused of taking bribes from private prison operators to ensure a reliable stream of prisoners. To quote Associated […]
Reminder: Drinking Liberally Wgtn tonight
Just got an email through from the team at DL Wellington confirming that tonight’s event with Brian Easton is on despite the rain […]
Miro 2.0
Opensource. Free. Cool.
Now with a little perspective
I was going through some of my 2008 files yesterday and got a sudden reminder of just how nuts the right was getting […]
More powers for the cops, that’ll solve everything
I was going to write about the new DNA powers National/ACT is giving the Police, but No Right Turn has already done it […]
Right desperate to sully Clark legacy
When John Key was elected he was wise enough to be magnanimous in victory, acknowledging Helen Clark’s considerable skill and integrity throughout her […]
Interesting speculations
The Sunday Star Times will probably have an article out tomorrow about the possible nomination of Helen Clark to the position of head […]