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John Key has been asked if he will be giving an explicit order to National voters in Epsom to vote for John Banks. He said 'not today'. He said that a few weeks ago too. No photo-op of Key shaking Banks' hand either. Why the…
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It's been an extraordinary few weeks. It started with the double downgrade/DJ Key fiasco and Rena. Then Labour started dictating the play: its policies setting the beat of the campaign; its framing dominating. National took its only asset, Brand Key, and trashed it with its…
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Pamphlets are circling highlighting past comments made by Mr Banks, including anti-homosexuality and racist ideas. Right-wing bloggers say it's all part of nasty campaign tactics by Labour. "waa, waa, waa" said Farrar and Slater "it's mean to quote a man's words when he's trying to…
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As more oil leaks from the Rena, National's beginning to leak too. I've just been hearing about their latest internal polling, and it ain't pretty. As the earlier Horizon poll suggested, the Rena has been an inflection point for National and the masses of soft…
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micky savage at Waitakere News has a well-written post on the political events over the last few weeks and their impact on Phil Goff's chances of forming a government. We will know if there has been a shift in the political landscape as the Rugby…
act don brash greens john banks john key labour national phil goff
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National Party pollster, sorry, right-leaning independent commentator David Farrar has been polling in Epsom and the results are not good for the Right. Epsomites are pissed off with their seats being used as a backdoor for ACT into Parliament. They don't like the gall of…
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Don Brash has weaved his magic again. He's going to have a minder now and everything he says will be vetted. But it's too late. His cannabis speech brilliantly highlighted the disjunction between ACT's values and those of the man they need to win Epsom.…
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On Sunday, Don Brash decided to muse on decriminalising cannabis. It's not ACT policy, we're meant to understand, it's just the Party Leader making a speech and saying 'this would be a good idea'. Well, I'm sorry but in what world is that not a…
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It looks like the race for Epsom is about to get a whole lot more exciting. Former ACT funder Colin Craig seems set to throw his hat into the ring against ACT's John Banks, National's Paul Goldsmith, and Labour's David Parker. It only needs Winnie…
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So it appears that John Banks, having applied for his Epsom candidature and ACT party membership at the same time, will get to face his mayoral campaign manager, Aaron Bhatnagar, as National candidate for Epsom. Banks was able to assure everyone on Morning Report this…
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The other week, Lynn and I made fun of John Key's dream that New Zealand would become the Ireland of the South Seas. Does he still believe we should emulate the Irish? The answer is yes. Key wants to abandon proper process and speed up…
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Well this is a bit sad. Rodney Hide is now publicly begging for his political life: National needs us, Hide tells supporters Act leader Rodney Hide has sent a message to the National Party, saying it could lose power if it fails to give him…
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As it goes down to the wire, John Banks' desperation is on full display: John Banks has admitted he could lose the Super City mayoralty on Saturday ... That was always true John. You're not entitled to the mayoralty. It's called an election. ... unless…
auckland supercity democratic participation john banks local government
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According to the weekend headlines: It's Brown for Supermayor, by a landslide Len Brown is set to win the Auckland mayoralty by a landslide, unless John Banks can rally his half-hearted supporters to vote in the final days. A new Herald on Sunday-Phoenix poll shows…
auckland supercity john banks len brown local government polls
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On Thursday I posted on John Banks bashing South Auckland: A political salvo aimed at wounding the leadership aspirations of Manukau mayor Len Brown is still causing outcry in South Auckland tonight. Last night on the Close Up debate, Banks told Brown he didn't "want…
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Oh dear. John Banks just stuffed up big time. He's following in the footsteps of that other spectacular right wing flameout, Melissa Lee in the Mt Albert by election: John Banks' comments raise heckles A political salvo aimed at wounding the leadership aspirations of Manukau…
auckland supercity by-election john banks local government melissa lee
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John Banks has gone big on billboards in his campaign for mayor. So I thought I'd show some that I'd like to see...
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Two more Supercity polls. Brown ahead 29% v 17% in a Horizon poll. Herald's Digipoll has it closer - 29.8% v 27.8%. Brown still ahead. Naturally, the Herald calls it too close to call. Spends the article arguing Banks is actually in the lead. Sure,…
auckland supercity democracy under attack john banks len brown polls
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Momentum Recruitment is in the gun yet again, this time for placing a woman in an accounting firm when she did not have the qualifications she claimed. The fake accountant then went on to defraud the company Momentum had placed her with of $60,000. Momentum…
accountability auckland supercity john banks local government making shit up national public services rodney hide
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In the lecture theatre that the Radio NZ SuperCity debate was held this morning Len Brown clearly and easily won - but how did it appear on radio? Bill Ralston and his coterie did his best to even up the perceptions. The front row had…
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From the Granny Heralds Sideswipe column. Women blanked by Banks A reader was enjoying a coffee with family at the mall on Sunday. "We were approached by John Banks, who introduced himself to my son and asked him what school he goes to. He then…
auckland supercity democratic participation john banks local government vote smart
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The Olympics is by far the most expensive sporting event on Earth. Hosting them can be economically crippling: Sprinklers still keep the grass at Greece's Olympic softball stadium green. But four years after the 2004 Games, it sits unused in the middle of a vast,…
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I have very mixed feelings about all this scrutiny of the spending of public figures. On the one hand it is clear that abuses of the system exist - major ones like the outlandish cases that were happening in the UK, or Bill English's Double…
accountability auckland supercity john banks len brown local body elections supercity
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Good news for Auckland in Friday's Herald with Len Brown opening up a strong lead over John Banks. Len Brown's campaign seems to have been quietly gathering momentum since he launched his insurgency last year. He has got himself around the region, striking a positive…
auckland supercity john banks len brown local body elections supercity
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I've been tipped off to a possible issue with Dodgy John 'if I wear my policy on my sleeve, I won't get elected' Banks' most recent mayoral poll. I covered John Banks' first poll release noting that he cheekily weighted his results on 2007 sub-regional…
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John 'Mayor for Remuera' Banks has put out a statement saying he is 1.4% ahead of Manukau Mayor Len Brown in a head-to-head poll. Ummm. Gosh. In a realisation that this is no kind of result, weirdly, he tries to trumpet a 5.1% lead in…
auckland supercity john banks len brown local body elections
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Voters of the North Shore, Waitakere, Manukau and Franklin will be very concerned with the announcement that Auckland City based Citizens & Ratepayers is going to run a single slate(r) of candidates across the region at this year's supercity election. The reason? Auckland City Council…
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How much is the Huljich Kiwisaver figure-fudging scandal hurting John 'the dodgy-director' Banks' mayoral chances? Answer: a lot. Lord Mayor Banks Of Remuera trades on the fact he is a successful businessman. He constantly talks up his strong business credentials as standing him in good…
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John 'Mayor for Remuera' Banks has released a poll showing him dead even with Len Brown in the race to be supermayor. Banks' team are trying to spin it by putting out a press release saying he's in front (which oddly doesn't contain head-to-head figures)…
auckland supercity john banks len brown local body elections
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Here's the first question from the House today: "1. CRAIG FOSS (National—Tukituki) to the Minister of Finance: What does the latest GDP data show about New Zealand's recent growth performance? Hon BILL ENGLISH (Minister of Finance) : Revised GDP data up to the September quarter…