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TVNZ approached National media trainer and broadcast bigot Paul Holmes to replace failed National candidate and broadcast bigot on Breakfast. Holmes has apparently turned down the offer. Thank goodness. He's unprofessional, open bias and panels with John Tamihere representing the Left have made Q+A unwatchable.…
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The transcript of Jeff Rubin speaking at the ASPO-USA conference, supplied by The Oil Drum: You know, knowing the nature of the disease is usually an essential first step to finding a cure. And so too, it is with a recession. Knowing the true nature…
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According to Radio NZ "Mr Dunne criticised the Labour Party's approach to MMP politics and its relationship with the Green Party." I'm sure Labour are shaking in their boots from Mr Dunne's criticism. Perhaps "Mr 0.87%" should draw some focus here. He was marginally ahead…
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It's disconcerting to see National and its blogging lackies running smear campaigns against anyone who has what they deem to be "political connections". The government's current strategy to deal to individual opposition is find a link to Labour or the Greens and dismiss the outspoken…
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Aung San Suu Kyi is one of my heroes. Aung San Suu Kyi (b 1945) is a Burmese opposition politician. In the 1990 general election the National League for Democracy (of which she was General Secretary) won 59% of the vote and 80% of the…
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Open mike is your post. It's open for discussing topics of interest, making announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. Comment on whatever takes your fancy. The usual good behaviour rules apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike...
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So we are familiar with descriptions of climate change and the likely or possible consequences of raised levels of ‘warming’ gasses. We have heard the conclusions of various scientific disciplines and heard the social/philosophical musings of the likes of Suzuki. And that’s all good, because…
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Conversation in another post has brought home to me again how little some people know about the national standards debate. The Nats and their pet blogger DPF have some people believing their line that the opposition to standards is some kind of Labour / union…
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John Key has been on holiday in Japan for the last few days ahead of APEC while the real international leaders are in Korea for the G20. Key is keen to have a 'pull-aside' with Obama but, now, disaster: the US has limited the number…
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The NBR reported yesterday morning that Murray McCully had awarded the $8 million RWC Opening Ceremony contract to Aussie firm David Atkins Creative. Over on Red Alert, Grant Robertson was rightly appalled. The story seems to be being largely retracted now, with McCully trying to…
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So our kiwifruit industry is in peril. PSA may be here to stay, vines may start being burnt today, and a $1.36 billion industry is in trouble. Last year National sacked 54 front-line biosecurity staff, and slashed the budgets by millions. The PSA (Public Service…
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Open mike is your post. It's open for discussing topics of interest, making announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. Comment on whatever takes your fancy. The usual good behaviour rules apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike...
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Here is a fantastic presentation from Dr David Suzuki, about why our obsession with economic growth is suicidal. Watch it - it's pretty powerful stuff. He's the keynote speaker at the Green's Conference on Sustainable Economics. His key theme is that our obsession with growth…
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John Key got to Japan for his Apec meeting a couple of days ago, and he's been telling the Japanese they need to drop their tariffs, and the US he'd like to have a chat with Obama on the sidelines of a meeting, any meeting,…
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Pansy Wong has been stood down resigned over her abuse of her ministerial status and perks for her husband's private business dealings. I expected that Key act 'relaxed' and hope for this blow over. That he hasn't indicates they've uncovered something more. Stuff reports: "It…
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House prices are a pretty good indication of how the economy is going. They rose rapidly in the 2000s, stalled in 2007, plummeted in 2008, and made a slight recovery in 2009. But now they're heading downward. The median house price is over 16%, adjusted for…
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The Nats are determined to push through more attacks on the rights of working New Zealanders. The latest stories of abuse of the Fire at Will law to emerge involve a chef who 'who used too much sauce' and a dairy worker who stood up…
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Finally, we're getting to the meat of the Pansy Wong affair. Stating her occupation as a Minister when witnessing a form for her husband's business deal was no major problem. But Wong's flights for the deal were paid with her MP's travel perk. That is…
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The US Government has begun 'quantative easing', which is effectively creating new money out of thin air, to inflate away the value of its debt and lower its currency to make its industries more competitive. It's not the only country playing this 'beggar thy neighbour'…
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Open mike is your post. It's open for discussing topics of interest, making announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. Comment on whatever takes your fancy. The usual good behaviour rules apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike...
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A fascinating interview on Nine to Noon this morning - Kathryn Ryan with Jonathan Temm, President of the Law Society, on what the Society sees as the government's disturbing trend to pass laws that threaten the "rule of law" in New Zealand because they cut…
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Kris Fa'aofi is working seven days a week campaigning throughout Mana. Reports say he is being backed up by very energetic local members who have beaten all their targets for deliveries and canvassing. Hekia Parata seems to only turn up to act like a jerk…
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The PM's Chief Press Secretary Kevin Taylor thinks he's above those who are actually elected. So much so he feels free to tell journalists that an elected Member, who represents the people of New Zealand who voted for him, is a "fuckwit" and that they…
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The Nats have a long and dishonourable history of trying to gag those who would speak out against them. This includes multiple attacks on schools -- threats against principals and school boards who were exercising their rights to free speech, threats to sack dissenting boards,…
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Whilst the Search and Surveillance Bill has been massively scaled back in Select Committee, with most of the more egregious attacks on Civil Liberties removed, it does still remove the Right to Silence, an important part of our legal system for, ooo, centuries. As Russell…
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Matt McCarten, standing in Mana, is still writing the book on how to campaign. Last evening TV3 reported: McCarten takes over state house in by-election stunt The supporters of a Mana by-election candidate have taken over an empty state house as a protest at what…
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Open mike is your post. It's open for discussing topics of interest, making announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. Comment on whatever takes your fancy. The usual good behaviour rules apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike...
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It's diplomacy time in the Asia-Pacific region. While Secretary Clinton came to New Zealand and Australia and President Obama to India and Indonesia, Prime Minister Cameron has gone to Beijing with a large delegation hoping to drum up business for Britain. Cameron's pre-visit publicity was…
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Yesterday, Jonathan Coleman was handed the job of doing the introductory speech on the Taxation (International Investment and Remedial Matters) Bill 2010. Coleman was reading from a prepared speech that someone had handed him, and it was the wrong speech for the wrong Bill. Coleman,…