Cui bono?
So, who stands to gain from National borrowing $5 billion if it becomes the Government? Ultimately, the people who lend the money are […]
Social issues
Gordon Campbell on the ethics of taping politicians
You’d be hard pressed to have missed the story on what some National MPs have been caught saying behind closed doors. We’ve seen discussions over the […]
Unemployment to 3.9%
Unemployment rose again last quarter but remains under 4%. It has now been under 4% for 16 of the last 17 quarters. Interestingly, […]
Break-in
This just in from Radio NZ: Police are investigating a break-in at the electorate office of a senior Labour MP, David Cunliffe, in […]
Nats, have some pride in what you believe
So, now we know that three National frontbenchers were recorded talking about a secret agenda at the cocktail do last Friday. Think about […]
TV3 on the leaks from National’s conference
Here’s the recent coverage from TV3 and political reporter Duncan Garner. On Bill English’s comments regarding the sale of Kiwibank (aired August 4, […]
Mallard to speak at Drinking Liberally, Wellington
After a mysterious three week absence, Drinking Liberally Wellington is back tomorrow evening. Here’s the email: We’re only half way through a week […]
Fallout
National’s attempt to contain the meltdown from Bill English’s secret agenda comments at the National conference and on TV1 collapsed when it emerged […]
Déjà vu
If you didn’t already have enough doubts about whether to trust John Key, Bill English and Lockwood Smith by virtue of the recent revelations here’s another […]
Nats’ policy top 10, what’s missing?
Here’s the top 10 policy priorities that John Key bullet-pointed at the conference on Sunday. See if you can spot what’s missing: 1. […]
Did Lockwood mis-speak too?
It has been revealed that Bill English isn’t the only senior Nat who has been discussing a secret agenda behind closed doors. On […]
Kiwisaver cuts to fund Nats’ tax cuts?
So, the rumour is that Kiwisaver will be slashed to fund National’s tax cut policy. Currently, the Government spends up to the following […]
Clown princes
The ‘Key-English secret recording followed by denial followed by excuse followed by apology’ debacle is, well, an utter debacle. If these clowns ever […]
Key’s shell-game wears thin
On National Radio’s Morning Report and Nine to Noon yesterday, Key ran the ‘not telling’ line once again and it was once too […]
Sarcophagus
After a stunning attack on John Key last night, Bill English is now reverting to more standard National techniques for handling ‘accidental frankness’. […]
Meltdown
The English tape has exploded into a massive scandal. You’ll be familiar with the content of the recording: – English mocks voters as […]
Behind closed doors
The scandal over Bill English’s comments at the National Party conference has not only overshadowed Key’s purposely vague conference announcements, it has derailed […]
Key’s vision: tax cuts for rich, more debt for youse
In a speech described by attendees as ‘more bullet points’, John Key announced to the National Party conference today that National would borrow $5 […]
A quick Brethren reference
At last an upfront acknowledgement of the Exclusive Brethren’s support for National during the 2005 election campaign. According to Colin Espiner: Day One of […]
TV3 promoting a National/NZF government?
It seems TV3 has decided to promote a marriage between John Key and Winston Peters this week. They appear to be paying […]
Effervescent stylist slams politicians
New Zealand stylist Stephanie Rumble – best known for her fallout with Addington race officials after claiming that a giant bottle of Lindaur […]
Lucky Aussies, they kept their work rights
Some of our friends on the Right have been putting themselves through strange mental contortions over the recent series of posts we’ve had […]
Flip-flops, it’s a matter of trust
I believe there are three core criteria on which a politician or party needs to be judged: (in no particular order) – policy, […]
Freedom Week
Amnesty International does some great campaigning and human rights work around the globe and this week is Freedom Week, their annual fundraising and […]
So National DO have a policy, errr sorry…
So the news went out! National DID have some policy said Colin James: …in behind the bland one-pagers lies quite a lot of […]
Searching for the right answer
Hint: it ain’t chocolate.
Why Labour thinks it can win again
Here’s a well-reasoned article by Therese Arseneau in which she canvasses the reasons behind Labour thinking it can still win. She puts it down to: […]
Will the real National policy please stand up?
A reader noticed a difference between National’s workplace policy as quoted by us and as quoted elsewhere. We and some others have: “Continue […]
Nats painted into a corner
John Key has announced Working for Families would be kept unchanged by a National-led government. That’s the same Working for Families that National […]
Hunt for the real John Key proves fruitless
So, what have we learnt from the 18,000 words on John Key the Herald published with so much fanfare over the last two […]
Pride in your work
Some of our rightwing commentators are rejecting the argument that National’s ‘workplace policy’ strips workers of their rights. Problem is, every workers’ rights […]
Drinking Liberally – Auckland
WHAT: Regular event for Drinking Liberally’s Auckland City chapter WHEN: 7:30pm, Wed 23 July (TONIGHT) WHERE: London Bar, corner Queen and Wellesley Streets, […]
Landlords: youse are better off renting
The graphic to the left was produced by the Property Investors’ Federation and was printed unquestioned in the Herald yesterday. The PIF uses the figures […]
Unauthorised, unimpressive, unquestioning
I’ve finally got through part 1 of the Herald’s deification of John Key and it’s surprising how boring and mediocre he comes across. […]
Will you vote for higher levies?
If National wins the election, it will privatise the Work Account of ACC (and maybe other ‘profitable’ accounts). We know that this may […]
Taxing choices
There are four options open to National regarding the tax expectations it will deliver large tax cuts ($20+ per person a week = […]