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In the aftermath of the Shane Taurima controversy Television New Zealand is requiring reporters to divulge their political affiliation, membership and other political party activity. To be honest I thought the criticism of Taurima because of his political beliefs was overblown. The TVNZ review found no…
democracy under attack democratic participation john key Media national
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I was listening to Wallace Chapman interviewing Professor David Farrell, from University College, Dublin this morning on Radio New Zealand on compulsory voting which he was strongly in favour of. At one point the discussion veered on to the issue of "none of the above". I…
accountability australian politics democratic participation elections leadership politicans Politics
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From the Green Party website: The Green Party has released a strong party list for the 2014 election that balances proven leadership and experience with fresh new faces. The list release coincides with a national day of action where Green Party volunteers will take to…
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Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step up to the mike ...
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Just been watching the documentary "Helen" about Helen Clark past and present. Pretty damn good. For me it was a bit of a blast from the past. I started volunteering for her in Mt Albert in 1989. But I suspect that the same will be true…
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Allo, 'Allo, 'Allo, 'Allo, Episode 4. Based on the 1980's comedy series "Allo, 'Allo". starring Cameron Slater as Rene and Judith Collins as Edith his wife. Set in a greasy spoon cafe off K'd. See previous episodes: Starring role Key schemes It is early morning…
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Tony Astle, National Party fundraiser extraordinaire and under this Government the recipient of an award as Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit is apparently a quite good chef and allegedly has good taste in food. Unfortunately he has very bad taste in politicians, having publicly backed…
david cunliffe helen clark john key national same old national
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This report broadcast on Al Jazeera provides an overview of an unequal society under a regime of "austerity". It claims that over 50% of Spain's young people are unemployed, and 30% of children live in poverty. Children go to school hungry and poorly clothed. They…
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Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step up to the mike ...
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No Right Turn on paying private schools and childcare as being charitable 'donations' and thereby the affluent trying to defraud taxpayers. The rich are now using their private snob schools to cheat on their taxes: Inland Revenue has issued a Revenue Alert regarding payments being made…
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I nearly snorted my coffee down the wrong way when the Economist arrived on my pad this morning. "In need of new oomph" opened with the obvious. ECONOMISTS expected 2014 to be the year in which the global expansion stepped up a gear. Instead, nearly…
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The Campbell Live programme this week on John Key's relationship with the GCSB focused on some very interesting themes, issues and people. It points to a massive change in direction of government, and the NZ intelligence agencies under John Key's watch. It focused specifically on…
accountability democracy under attack john key slippery Spying telecommunications us politics
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Your child has swallowed something caustic, and you need to know how to save them ASAP. With world's best practice, and WHO guidelines you'll get straight through on the Posion Hotline to find out how to counteract the liquid your child has taken. But wait,…
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Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step up to the mike ...
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So one of our nastiest MPs in the House has got up on his high horse and warned the others to behave. Yes, John Key - always desperate to ridicule others to distract from their points, before running and hiding before any return fire -…
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The more you look at the Trans Pacific 'Partnership', the more you realise that unlike the trade agreements of the past 20 years, this agreement isn't a agreement about freeing up trade. It is about putting restraints on trade. For NZ especially, it appears that…
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There appears to have been a hiatus in the flood of posts today. Perhaps it is because of the wise words of Imperator Fish pausing the world as they consider his wise words... And those of Speaker Carter (who appears to have a problem with…
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So John Key is relaxed about the possible role that New Zealand has in extra judicial killing via drones that is occurring far too often. He was asked yesterday in Parliament about the subject. David Cunliffe asked if he had "sought or received any advice…
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Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step up to the mike ...
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Veterans Affairs Minister Michael Woodhouse sees the family resemblance above (presumably white males in collars with no missing facial features), so he now feels a greater closeness to Gallipoli. Unfortunately for him, Trooper Frank Woodhouse's real great-nephew is able to disprove Michael's lineage. Still Michael's…
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There are a range of issues in the main and secondary media, which are part of a GCSB-intelligence-surveillance-military-complex. Some significant elements seem to be posing as diversions from other parts of the complex, and the way all parts hang together. What will he offer Obama,…
accountability afghanistan democracy under attack greens john key labour same old national Spying trade uk politics
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Jono at Occasionally Erudite has this advice to offer the strategy team at Labour. Reposted with permission. This morning, David Cunliffe’s Facebook account posted the above graphic with the following caption: Part of fixing the housing crisis is increasing peoples’ incomes. That’s why I’ll raise…
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In parliament on Tuesday, Key outlined the latest weapon in the government's plan to ignore fix the immense non-existent housing crisis...er...thing. That strategy?..... Blame the previous government. Clever eh? I still haven't quite worked out how attempts to attribute blame for past events are going…
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Rob Salmond at Polity looks at what our young have to look forward to in 2019 with National's hands-off housing screwup. How an average family would fare under National's do-nothing approach to the housing crisis? Part deux. STILL A STOCK PHOTO. In my last post on housing,…
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Following on from Karol's post last night I thought that some further comment on John Campbell's story on the GCSB was warranted. It is fascinating the way that the story is interlinked with the Kim Dotcom case and I am sure that the development of both stories…
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Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step up to the mike ...
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Campbell Live is in the middle of showing broadcast a special on the GCSB. It presented information never before made public. It includes the US head of intelligence coming to NZ just before Key set up Ian Fletcher for the head of GCSB job. Campbell…
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Speaker David Carter has received some complaints about MPs tweeting during Question Time. One of the complaints seems to be about MPs in the House tweeting criticisms of the Speaker (as reported by Parliament Today). Some of us here also have made that complaint of…
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From the I do not believe what I am reading file. The right think that the solution to all of society's woes is more market freedom. Problems are evidence of a restriction of the free operation of markets. Whether it is failing education standards, diminishing environmental protection, declining terms…
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At Polity, Rob Salmond asks:- How an average family would fare under National's do-nothing approach to the housing crisis? YES, IT IS A STOCK PHOTO. Here's an anecdote, which has some numbers in it, too. In 2013, the median household income in New Zealand was…