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Welcome molesworthst
A warm welcome to molesworthst - a new political blog recommended by Morgan over at his own must read blog, Maui Street.
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Archives · 2011-06-01 to 2011-06-05
Find articles and conversations by date, subject or search expression.
Searching: posts Sorted by: newest Results: 1–30 of 30
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Chart of the day: peak oil squeeze
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Celebrity PM withdraws endorsement
Following the news that "Celebrities who make false statements while endorsing finance companies could now face jail or fines up to $1 million", we at The Standard have received the following important document, leaked by an internal National Party source: Press Release from PM John…
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Open mike 05/06/2011
Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike...
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Two great columns
Two great columns today. John Armstrong has an excellent piece in the Herald, about Bill English's agenda. The son of Treasury is still in love with their outdated ideas, although he's happy to let Treasury publicly speak to make National appear more moderate. Armstrong argues…
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Brownlee’s savage attack on Chch business owners
Christchurch business owners, unable to even get to their premises in the red-zone, have asked for some help to stop going under. Gerry Brownlee's arrogant response: "If they are such clever, gifted, and forward-looking entrepreneurs it's pretty sad that their first port of call has…
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Hansen on climate change
Visionary climate change scientist James Hansen recently toured New Zealand, giving several public lectures. I'm told that on at least two University campuses the audiences were the largest ever seen for a talk, with Hansen's presentation broadcast to about 1000 people in several different lecture…
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Open mike 04/06/2011
Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike...
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Better economic info
With the news that Treasury are already disavowing their forecasts a whole 2 weeks after the Budget, you might wonder where some better economic advice might be found. One that doesn't predict that any National budget will create 170,000 jobs (and then have to change…
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Weekend social 03/06/2011
Weekend social is for non political chat. What's on for the weekend, gigs, film or book reviews, sports, or whatever. No politics, no aggro, why can't we all just get along?
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Govt bans perks, but not for themselves
Just after we discover that National ministers and staffers have been accepting gifts from a bank wanting the government's business and John Key says ministers shouldn't take 'too many' Rugby World Cup freebies, we learn that civil servants are sternly banned from accepting any gifts.…
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A simple tertiary education budget
When all the unders and overs are calculated, the maths for tertiary education is a lot simpler than all the commentary from the government would have us believe. For the next four years, the minister, Steven Joyce, will be putting less money into tertiary education.…
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Treasury says own forecasts too rosy
Oh dear. Only two weeks after its Budget 2011 economic forecasts were released, Treasury is already warning they are too optimistic. In their defence, they say the forecasts were settled in April and growth prospects have got worse since then. Well, you're not much of…
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Leader repays chopper flights
After intense criticism for using government-owned helicopters for personal trips, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has reimbursed the state for the cost of the flights. I look forward to John Key following Christie's lead and repaying us for his flights to watch the V8s in…
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How close is too close?
How close should corporate interests be allowed to cuddle up to the government? When is a gift not a gift? If it isn't influence what is it? The Greens have raised important questions surrounding Westpac and the Nats: Govt denies Westpac 'buying access' to ministers…
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Open mike 03/06/2011
Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike...
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Caption contest
As you caption this one, please remember, this is a family blog...
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On supporting the Rugby World Cup
I seem to vaguely remember hearing in the last couple of days that John Key was calling for people to support the RWC (and his reelection campaign). I could be mistaken because I can't find it or alternatively that news item has sunk like the…
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ECE Taskforce report
David Clark is the Labour candidate for Dunedin North. The following is reprinted with permission from his blog: ECE Taskforce report I've previously outlined the case for quality early childhood education in the Otago Daily Times. Yesterday, the Government taskforce appointed to review the sector…
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ACC privatisation plans announced
National has announced plans to privatise ACC's work account. Currently, they don't have the numbers to get it through the House. ACT won't vote for it because its not completely rabid and the Maori Party won't vote for privatisation. So, this becomes another election issue:…
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Tell Key to keep Pharmac
Like the ACC, Pharmac is a Kiwi institution that delivers benefits to everyone at a lower cost than other countries. National has got ACC on the butcher's block. We must make sure that Pharmac doesn't follow. The problem is that the government is trying to…
capitalism john key leadership overseas investment us politics
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John Key: Evidence please!
John Key was characterised by some of his fellow money-men as "good antennae, no compass", and he does seem to have a good gut instinct for (usually) saying what the average Kiwi wants to hear. But sometimes going with your feelings isn't enough. Sometimes reality…
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Open mike 02/06/2011
Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike...
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Hiding the costs from Auckland
Ever notice how all this Tory rhetoric about "personal responsibility" goes right out the window when push comes to shove? Personal responsibility is always for other people. When they stuff up it's all about denial, obfuscation, and blaming someone else. Take Rodney Hide for example.…
accountability auckland supercity national/act government rodney hide
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On the crotch-clutcher Bob Clarkson
Oh shit, I thought we'd gotten rid of this idiot wonderful politician with a talent for publicity from politics. Toad at g-blog puts it more eloquently than I* Just when I thought the ACT Party couldn’t get more dominated by wealthy, bigoted, elderly white men,…
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Broadcasting allocations
No Right Turn asks an interesting set of questions about the state allocation of broadcast media time. David Farrar makes a similar point to I/S but restricted to parties outside parliament at the end of his post here. The Electoral Commission has announced its initial broadcasting…
democratic participation election 2011 election funding elections Politics
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Jackel’s 25 rules of disinformation
25 Rules of Disinformation Written Published by The Jackal at 12:05 PM This note provides a handy reference to most of the games used by spin-doctors and other assorted disinformation artists. Knowledge of these tricks enables us to spot their handiwork where ever they might…
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Goff on Breakfast
We give Phil Goff a lot of hassles, so I thought I should show an example of him getting it right. Goff takes control of the interview away from the Petra's attack lines and nicely turns it to Labour's lines. It's about connecting voters with…
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Rearranging the deck chairs
Remember 2008? Remember back when John Key sounded vaguely sane and reasonable? In a speech to the Public Service Association Congress in September 2008 Key said: A new National Government is not going to radically reorganise the structure of the public sector. ... Few problems…
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Open mike 01/06/2011
Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike...