I watched the NRL Grand Final last Sunday night and pleased to see the Rabbitohs win. But I was sickened by what I saw from James Graham – two tackles led with his head fractured Sam Burgess’ cheekbone and saw David Tyrell stretchered off the field with concussion, not to return. Burgess should also have been taken from the field, and head tackles outlawed as they are in American football.
Have Student loans made current University Students less radical?
Today’s Herald editorial raises important questions about the police search of Nicky Hager’s home. “Inconvenient and embarrassing disclosures do not justify police actions to uncover journalistic sources. The effect of such raids is to intimidate such people from approaching media to disclose uncomfortable truths.”
Now that the dust is settling on the 2014 general election it is a good time for progressives to review our and our opponents’ use of social media and what can be done better. And how do we respond effectively to the approach of the right which is now thanks to Nicky Hager painstakingly clear.
The Hager defence fund stands at over $41,000 $43,000 $44,000 and still climbing. But some mean-spirited wingnuts are trying to have it shut down…
“It all depends on the question you ask” – this was John Key’s resp0nse to a question as to whether he had concerns about the SAS identifying air-strike targets that might kill civilians. Farrar/Curia will no doubt be in the field now asking questions to find out how to make New Zealanders comfortable as off to war we go.
It looks like even the police can sense the rank smell coming off their theft of Nicky Hager’s systems and documents. They ignored a complaint about Cameron Slater two years ago. But the police are still on a holiday. This looks like a limp PR exercise by the police to prove that they aren’t John Key’s poodles. Updated.
Andrew Little has formally announced that he is also seeking the Labour Party leadership.
The legal defense fund for Nicky Hager is approaching $20,000 $25,000 $35,000 $40,000. Why not help it over the line?
John Key has been busy lying about the need for yet more ‘anti-terrorism’ laws. How many do the police and security forces need? As NRT points out, are they just too lazy to use the ones they already have? Or is this just because John Key wants to get his own plastic sword? Surely we pay him enough to buy his own?
Last month the Australian covered “the biggest anti-terrorism raid in Australia’s history” extensively, complete with picture of sword “that police claim they were planning to use” according to Channel 10. Yesterday it turned out that the sword was plastic. Oz Police had a lot to say about the raid, but are staying quiet on the sword.
The legal defense fund for Nicky Hager is about to hit $20,000 $25,000. Why not give a little?
The search of Nicky Hager in response to a complaint by Cameron Slater contrasts strongly with the lackadaisical investigation of a similar complaint by Matthew Blomfield against Cameron Slater. I guess the police take things seriously if you are a friend of John Key, just as they did in 2011 with the teapot tape saga. How far has John Key corrupted the police?
Good news citizens! The National government has revealed unto us today the cause of poverty and inequality.
Remember National’s social housing policy? The one they campaigned on? The one that talked about how much money they were spending and was all about upgrading and investing in state houses? Somehow, post-election, its transmogrified into selling off a third of the state housing stock. John Key lying to voters as usual eh?
We can contribute to his defence fund here. It’s one way to help – this is going to be a long fight.
Hager has said that he will go to prison rather than reveal the identity of the Rawshark / Whaledump hacker.
Breaking news, police raid Nicky Hager.
Well the power just went out at work at 1315. Looks like the Auckland is getting the rolling outages as they repair the […]
NZ’s universities are falling down the world rankings. This should come as no surprise, because National have systematically cut funding to the tertiary sector. How stupid do you have to be to deliberately run down our universities?
There’s something obscene about the way the economic story gets framed: the figures on a page, the points on an index, the number of dollars someone can swap for a number of different-coloured dollars, when people are suffering.
The final results are out – National lose a seat (and their majority), Greens gain a seat, Andrew Little is safe.
Rental housing remains unaffordable for many. The problem is the greed of investors & speculators, supported by a culture in which housing investment is seen as a way to individual prosperity.
The final election results are expected to be announced today and I would not be surprised if there is a change in the makeup of Parliament.
Hone Harawira said “farewell” to Parliament yesterday, in a well attended event. He left behind him a challenge…
David Farrar is wrong. We don’t have abortion on request in New Zealand. Not literally, and not “effectively.”
A quiet shift in a dodgy Key govt-SkyCity deal: TVNZ land, sold to SkyCity for its convention centre, is to be used for a new hotel. Plus: non-mandated deal between Auckland Transport Authority & a US corporate – intense surveillance of Aucklanders’ diverse activities.
Another dirty hit, this time on an Otago academic. It features most of the regular cast of Dirty Politics, and stars Jordan Williams of the “Taxpayers’ Union” (aka a front for right-wing spin and political attacks).
It’s the conference season in Britain. According to the Guardian, audio specialist Cassetteboy has rearranged cuts from David Cameron’s Conservative conference speeches to Eminem’s 2002 track Lose Yourself. Cameron can be heard rhyming “I’m hardcore and I know the score” with “I am disgusted by the poor” followed by “I’ve made sure we’re ready for class war.”
Trevor Mallard is known for frequent intervention with points of order in Parliament at Question Time. His latest intervention however notified to the Herald to refuse caucus discipline is out of order. The whip’s request to caucus members to refrain from expressing their personal views at this stage of the process is entirely reasonable. No doubt at some time they will all be let off the leash, but right now unity and solidarity is far more important.
Some thoughts from a different angle on ‘what went wrong’, or maybe just saying stuff along the lines of what plenty of other people are thinking
In the spirit of new badly needed Left Unity. The Left opposition needs to start setting the agenda. First “feed the kids” needs to be picked up. Second the corporate welfare for Solid Energy needs a lot of scrutiny. So does the the state funding of oil exploration.
MP for Dunedin North David Clark has been reflecting on the very successful result in the electorate.
Labour’s Council is currently meeting. David Cunliffe is expected to make a statement today at 2:30. It will be covered live by RNZ, 3 News and other outlets. Update: David Cunliffe has announced his resignation from the leader’s position but will contest the vacant leadership. Get ready for a leadership contest …
David Farrar continues the Dirty Politics strategy of trying to intimidate critics of the government into silence.
Nice to see one Journalist speaking up about National’s vicious personal attacks on Kim Dotcom. What will Dotcom do next? My guess is that he will stay out of NZ politics from now on.
