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The Iranian election was clearly rigged. Formerly quite democratic by Middle East standards. Iran's been going backwards fast. There have been violent protests in Tehran and other cities. Put down by security forces. They've cut off phone links out of the country. The protestors are…
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Ever growing numbers of workers aren't playing the old game any more. Shawn Hattingh has a good piece over at znet documenting some of the moves permitted in the emerging new game. From ‘bossnappings' in France to occupations and full workplace takeovers and the adoption…
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John Key invested a lot of political capital in Melissa Lee. She was his hand picked candidate for the showcase Mt Albert by-election (unceremoniously pushing aside local veteran Ravi Musuku). Winning Helen Clark's old electorate would have been a hugely symbolic victory for National, and…
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Two of New Zealand's top political commentators (it pains me to write that) have gone head to head over the Mt Albert result: April Bill Ralston: Some who voted Labour might now feel that National has not turned out to be as bad as they…
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For some weeks our media has been distracted by various sideshows. Worth, Swineflu, Mt Albert, Flight 447 and of course David Bain, have all in turn captured our national psyche... but meanwhile the most pressing political issue, the global fiscal crisis, grinds on with little…
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63% to 17%. That's not a defeat. That's a slaughter. An utter humiliation for the Tories. How will the Tories and their fanboys (Armstrong, Ralston, Laws, Farrar etc) spin it? Pretty obvious: It was Lee's fault for the gaffes. It was Worth's fault for the…
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I'm stunned by National. Their leader didn't support his Mt Albert candidate by turning up tonight and now nobody will talk to the media. There's being a poor loser and then there is this kind of behaviour. At the very least front up, concede and…
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David Shearer has won a bigger share of the vote in Mt Albert than even the great Helen Clark did just 7 months ago. That's a great win for him and a huge victory for Labour over National. It shows, incontrovertibly, that the salad days…
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The by-election is over apart from finding out the result. So I'm dragging my tired and abused body to the party to find out the result. It was a long day and night. This is the second time I've been struck down with a cold,…
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I was shocked, shocked, when I pulled up Kiwiblog just now and there wasn't a long post of quotes by political commentators on how St John had slain the evil Worth interspersed with 'indeed'. Instead, there was a long post of quotes from the Herald on juries interspersed…
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I know political animals are watching Mt Albert today, but something to read in the meantime on the psychology of buying 'green'. We hear it in a myriad of places and phrases, from sustainability to the need to buy what's best for the environment. But…
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Today all of the hoardings in Mount Albert go down. Tommorrow the many volunteers from all major and few minor parties will assemble to help get voters to go to the polling booths. For people in Mount Albert who are unsure if they can vote…
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Breaking news from Stuff / DomPost LATEST Richard Worth has resigned as an MP with immediate effect. Dr Worth, who entered Parliament in 1999, said he had gone for the good of the National Party. "Since I resigned as a Cabinet Minister earlier this month,…
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No Right Turn has been investigating John Key's baby: Back in February, Prime Minister John Key came up with a bold and radical plan to end the recession and create jobs: a cycleway the length of New Zealand. As it became apparent that the plan…
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One of the particularly unpleasant parts of the last budget was the cutting of funding for night school classes in conjunction with the increase in private school funding. Apart from the grossly blatant transfer of taxpayers' money from low and middle-income Kiwis to the rich…
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How extraordinary of John Key to align himself with western history's most notorious coward in his statement that he had "washed his hands" of Richard Worth. He's a poor judge of people in his personal choice, that is clear - after all, he appointed Richard…
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Rodney Hide, in his role of Minister for Local Government, has made himself the petty dictator of Auckland's future. Therefore he is ultimately responsible in that role for a curious request through his minions. Phil Twyford reports at Red Alert.. Council water staff in Auckland…
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Another bad week is about to end for John Key with a mammoth defeat of his handpicked Mt Albert candidate. What's that now, four disaster weeks in a row? And another one to come next week when the House resumes and he has to face…
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I haven't really wanted to get involved in the whole debate surrounding Richard Worth. It's horrible and messy, and makes me feel sick every time I see fuel added to the fire. It was no surprise to see the creep Cameron Slater (Whale Oil) publish…
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She's really trying her best. Even with only one news cycle to go, Melissa Lee is still out there, working hard to get herself into third place. From NZPA: Appearing in a candidate's debate in front of members of the Unite union, Ms Lee was…
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Whale Oil has a page of 'trophies'. Little pictures of people he thinks he has dragged through the mud and embarrassed. Even made himself a little 'harpooned' image. Running this 'ludicrous' (as John Armstrong called it) honey-trap line. Getting Farrar to run it too. Only…
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Radio NZ is playing John Key saying that, following the letter from the woman in the sexual harassment saga, he has "washed his hands" of Richard Worth. It seems likely he will move to have Worth expelled from caucus. Good to see he chose a…
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On Monday, John Key promised he would make a 'major tourism announcement' today. Apparently, we've just had it. In a speech today, Key announced that during the Rugby World Cup in 2011, Queens Wharf in Auckland will be a temporary 'live site' (whatever that means)…
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All going according to plan, I'll be there. Hungover in the back row.
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Most people with an interest in politics will have heard about the expenses scandal in the UK. Their system allowed rorts of all shapes and sizes to take place - MPs' expenses were not questioned because they were Honourable Members. Intense scrutiny has proved quite…
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Did anyone else notice that for all this supposed government waste that National was going to get rid of it made only $500 million (less than 0.7% government spending) of 'savings' per year in the Budget. To get these 'savings' that it had to cut education spending…
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Jarbury is live blogging from backbenchers tonight :-) We are here at the Neighbourhood Bar in Kingsland for a Mt Albert by-election debate. I have not seen any of the candidates here yet, but it certainly seems like half the rest of the world is…
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So National's latest tactic in the Richard Worth affair appears to have been to leak the identity of the first complainant against Richard Worth (the one with all the "textes"). Why do I say this? Simple. The story that broke on the TV news tonight…
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Yeah. Great honey-trap. - First, target a minister that doesn't matter with a woman who is openly Labour - Second, delete the most offensive texts and don't record any phone calls - Third, don't go public, refuse Goff's offer to raise it privately with Key…
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Cameron Slater (WhaleOil) gets it wrong again in his post about me today. On the upside he managed to write his post today for once not using any disgusting names. Anyhow, to clear up the issue once and for all, here are my political affiliations.…